THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 

Ex  Libris 

Katharine  F.  Richmond 

and 
Henry  C.  Fall 


it 


(  l 


HISTORICAL  DISCOURSE 


DELIVERED   ON   THE 


FORTIETH  ANNIVERSARY  OF  HIS   PASTORATE 
IJNT   RINJDJJE,    N.  H., 

NOVEMBER   14,   1861, 

BY  KEY.  A.  W.  BURNHAM,  D.  D. 

WITH 

ADDRESSES,  4c.  ON  THE  SAME  OCCASION. 


BOSTON: 
CROSBY     AND      NICHOLS. 

1862. 


CAMBRIDGE: 

WELCH,  BIOELOW,  AND  COMPANY, 
PRINTERS  TO  THE  UNIVERSITY. 


F 

ORDER  OP  EXERCISES  IN  THE  CHURCH, 


I.     VOLUNTARY. 
"STRIKE  THE  CYMBAL." 

II.     INVOCATION  AND   READING  THE   SCRIPTURES. 

BY   REV.    SAMUEL  LEE. 

fll.     SINGING   PSALM   CXXXVI. 
"  Give  to  our  God  immortal  praise." 

READ   BY   REV.   A.   P.    MARVIN. 

IV.     PRAYER. 

BY  REV.   ASA  RAND. 

V.     SINGING   PSALM  LXX.VHI. 

"  Let  children  hear  the  mighty  deeds." 

READ   BY  THE  PASTOR. 

VI.     DISCOURSE. 

BY    REV.   A.   W.   BURNHAM,   D.  D.,   THE  PASTOR. 

VII.     PRAYER. 

BY    REV.    7.,   8.   BARSTOW,  D.  D. 

Yin.     SINGING   ORIGINAL   HYMN. 

BY  SAMUEL  BURNHAM.   READ  BY  REV.  W.  L.  GAYLORD. 

IX.     DOXOLOGY. 

"  PRAISE   GOD   FROM   WHOM   ALL  BLESSINGS   FLOW." 

X.     BENEDICTION. 

BY  REV.   Z.    8.    BARSTOW,   D.  D. 


DISCOURSE. 


"  HITHERTO  HATH  THE  LORD  HELPED  us." 
1  Sam.  vii.  12. 

AT  the  time  referred  to  in  this  passage,  the  Israel- 
ites, under  the  leadership  of  Samuel,  were  at  war 
with  their  constant  enemies,  the  Philistines.  God 
had  interposed  and  given  them  a  victory,  and  when 
in  pursuit  of  their  foes  they  had  reached  a  certain 
spot,  where  probably  they  felt  sure  of  ultimate  suc- 
cess, "  Samuel  took  a  stone,  and  set  it  up  between  Mizpeh 
and  Shen,  and  called  the  name  of  it  Ebenezer,  saying. 
Hitherto  hath  the  Lord  helped  us"  This  was  done  in 
grateful  acknowledgment  that  it  was  by  the  help 
of  God  that  they  had  been  thus  far  sustained  and 
prospered  in  their  enterprise,  and  to  transmit  to 
future  generations  a  memorial  of  that  Divine  aid 
by  which  such  a  victory  had  been  achieved.  The 
Lord  had  helped  them,  and  given  success  up  to  that 
time. 

So  all  serious  persons,  as  they  pass  on  from  one 
stage  of  life's  journey  to  another,  find  occasion  to 
adopt  the  language  of  the  devout  leader  of  God's 
ancient  people. 


6 


And  thus  families  and  communities,  as  they  ex- 
perience the  aid  and  interpositions  of  God  in  their 
behalf,  not  unfrequently  have  reason  to  exclaim, 
with  a  full  heart,  "  HitJierto  kath  the  Lord  helped  us" 

And  plainly  this  language  cannot  be  used  by 
any  persons  with  greater  propriety  than  by  the 
Christian  Pastor,  and  those  who,  for  a  series  of 
years,  have  shared  with  him  the  duties  and  trials 
and  responsibilities  incident  to  the  important  rela- 
tion existing  between  them. 

And  this  is  the  interesting  position  occupied  to- 
day by  the  First  Congregational  Church  and  So- 
ciety in  this  place  and  their  Pastor.  Forty  years 
ago  to-day  this  relation  was  constituted  in  this 
ancient  house,  according  to  the  simple,  but  solemn 
forms  of  Congregational  usage.  Then  I  gave  my- 
self, as  I  think  sincerely,  to  this  people  to  be  their 
servant  in  the  Pastoral  office  for  Jesus'  sake ;  to 
identify  myself  with  them  in  all  that  should  affect 
their  welfare.  And  the  labors  and  trials,  the  days 
of  prosperity  and  of  adversity,  which  have  been  ex- 
perienced during  these  years,  have  served  only  to 
deepen  this  feeling  in  the  Pastor's  mind,  that  he 
and  his  people  are  one,  —  having  but  one  great  in- 
terest to  secure,  one  cause  to  maintain,  one  object 
to  accomplish,  by  their  mutual  labors. 

In  reviewing,  then,  as  it  is  deemed  proper  on  this 
interesting  occasion,  as  briefly  as  practicable,  our 
own  history  during  the  period  here  referred  to,  I 
doubt  not  this  beloved  Church  and  Society  are 
ready  to  unite  with  the  Pastor  in  a  devout  ac- 


knowledgment  of  the  good -hand  of  our  God  which 
has  been  upon  us.    " Hitherto  hath  the  Lord  helped  us" 

I.  He  hath  helped  us  in  all  that  concerns  our 
temporal  welfare. 

And  here  should  be  noted  the  continuance  of  our 
life.  In  view  of  our  various  liabilities  in  this  re- 
spect, the  sicknesses  and  deaths,  in  the  midst  of 
which  we  have  lived,  the  multitude  who  have,  in 
the  period  now  contemplated,  fallen  around  us,  we 
must  gratefully  acknowledge  that  it  is  because 
"  having  obtained  help  of  God,  we  continue  to  this 
day." 

While  we  have  suffered  less  than  some  other  vil- 
lages from  sweeping  epidemics,  yet  probably  the 
yearly  bills  of  mortality  may  have  contained  as  large 
a  proportion  of  the  population  as  other  towns  in  this 
vicinity.  If  I  have  kept  an  accurate  record,  793 
persons,  of  whom  174  were  members  of  the  Church, 
have  died  in  this  town  during  these  forty  years ;  a 
small  fraction  less  than  twenty  on  an  average  in 
each  year.  Thus  nearly  twice  as  many  as  usually 
enter  this  house  on  the  Sabbath  have,  one  after 
another,  joined  the  great  congregation  of  the  dead, 
and  sleep  with  their  fathers  in  the  grave.  Death 
has  thus  invaded  perhaps  every  family ;  in  some 
instances  scattering  the  members,  in  others,  extin- 
guishing the  family,  not  leaving  one  to  transmit 
the  name  to  another  generation.  Scenes  of  sick- 
ness and  sorrow  have  been  always  passing  before 
us,  and  the  doings  of  death  in  the  midst  of  us ;  and 


8 


yet  ive  have  been  preserved.  God  has  healed  our 
sicknesses,  renewed  our  strength,  relieved  us  in  dis- 
tress, comforted  us  in  sorrow,  had  compassion  on 
our  infirmities,  borne  with  our  sins ;  and,  while  we 
review  the  past,  we  are  bound  to  ascribe  the  con- 
tinuance of  life  to  help  obtained  of  God. 

'And,  by  Divine  aid,  a  reasonable  degree  of  pros- 
perity has  attended  the  various  occupations  of  the 
people.  We  inhabit  a  rough  and  uneven  portion  of 
the  country,  are  subjected  to  the  inconveniences 
of  a  hard,  stony  soil,  with  no  water-power  for  large 
operations,  and  every  man  is  obliged  to  earn,  if  not 
to  eat,  his  "  bread  in  the  sweat  of  his  face " ;  yet 
the  blessing  of  God  has  attended  the  labors  of  the 
husbandman  and  the  mechanic,  the  tradesman  and 
every  other  employment  in  such  measure,  that  the 
people  have  lived  and  thrived,  and  the  necessaries 
and  comforts  of  life  are  abundantly  enjoyed.  At 
least,  all  things  needful  for  the  body  are  found 
in  every  house.  True,  many  of  us  are  obliged  to 
work  hard,  to  practise  the  wholesome  virtues  of 
diligence,  economy,  and  self-denial ;  but  "  hitherto 
hath  the  Lord  helped  us,"  and  hath  given  us  "  day 
by  day  our  daily  bread,"  and  no  small  progress  has 
been  made  in  all  that  pertains  to  the  real  conven- 
ience and  comfort  of  life,  and  great  increase  in 
some  branches  of  business.  For  example,  I  think 
that  forty  years  ago  there  were  only  two,  and  these 
old-fashioned,  saw-mills  in  town ;  but,  until  this  ter- 
rible war  was  forced  upon  us  by  ungodly  men,  for 


9 


years  past,  wherever  you  went  in  the  town,  you 
would  see  proofs  of  substantial  prosperity.  And 
while  there  has  been  manifest  improvement  in  the 
fundamental  and  honorable  business  of  agriculture, 
in  the  neat  and  thriving  villages  that  in  the  last 
half  of  this  period  have  sprung  up,  you  could  both 
see  and  hear  convincing  evidence  that  a  lively  busi- 
ness was  done,  particularly  in  the  manufacture  of 
wood  —  even  your  sapling  pines  and  white  birches, 
which  forty  years  since  you  Would  perhaps  have 
given  to  any  man  who  would  take  them  away  — 
into  vessels  and  utensils  of  almost  every  sort  for 
domestic  use. 

I  ought  to  refer  to  improvements  made  in  things 
pertaining  to  every-day  conveniences  and  comforts. 
For  instance,  in  the  dwelling-houses  and  their  ap- 
pendages, barns,  and  other  erections,  once  rare,  but 
now  common,  on  the  family  premises. 

As  I  pass  around  the  town,  I  am  impressed  and 
gratified  with  the  manifest  change  for  the  better 
in  all  your  buildings,  private  and  public ;  and  as, 
according  to  the  unanimous  testimony,  of  visitors, 
very  few  country  congregations  in  New  England 
present  a  better  appearance,  and  make  a  better 
impression  for  good  sense  and  intelligence  when 
gathered  for  worship  in  this  u  our  beautiful  house," 
so  very  few  places  in  this  rough  region  furnish  a 
greater  proportion  of  neat  and  comfortable  houses, 
or  houses  better  supplied,  as  I  have  very  good 
reason  to  know,  with  the  substantial  means  of  good 
living.  And  corresponding  evidence  of  progress  in 


10 


the  tasteful  and  ornamental  is  seen  in  the  flowers 
that  now  adorn  your  gardens,  yards,  and  windows, 
not  to  refer  to  the  fruits  of  the  needle  and  the 
pencil  seen  in  so  many  houses,  —  proofs  not  only 
of  diligence  and  skill,  but  of  elevation  of  mind  and 
refinement  of  taste  and  general  manners. 

In  a  historical  discourse  such  as  this,  the  cause  of 
education  and  morality  should  not  be  overlooked. 

In  regard  to  the  condition  of  common  schools, 
the  school-houses,  the  views  and  habits  of  the  peo- 
ple on  the  subject,  the  qualifications  of  teachers, 
methods  of  instruction,  the  character  and  supply 
of  text-books  and  other  important  provisions,  the 
amount  studied  and  learned,  great  progress  and 
real  improvement  in  these  and  other  important  re- 
spects is  very  manifest  in  every  part  of  the  town. 
Thirty-five  years  of  actual  acquaintance,  in  the  ser- 
vice of  the  town,  with  the  schools,  may  justify  the 
speaker  in  a  free  utterance  on  this  subject.  With 
the  exception  of  one  school-house,  that  in  District 
No.  12,  which  stands  as  a  fair  representative  of  the 
buildings  passing  under  that  name  twice  forty  years 
ago,  every  district  is  now  furnished  with  at  least  a 
comfortable  school-room,  most  of  them  with  houses 
of  rare  excellence.  And  if,  passing  from  the  con- 
dition of  education  in  the  common  school  to  that 
in  schools  of  higher  grade,  and  to  the  means  and 
actual  possession  of  general  intelligence,  we  exam- 
ine the  facts,  we  shall  find  evidence  of  no  inconsid- 
erable improvement. 


11 


Previous  to  1821, 1  believe  four  persons,  residents 
at  the  time,  if  not  natives,  of  the  town,  had  received 
a  collegiate  education ;  viz.  Joseph  Mulliken,  Ed- 
ward Payson,  James  Walker,  and  Asa  Eand,  whose 
venerable  presence  honors  this  occasion  ;  since 
that  period  have  graduated  Isaac  Kimball,  Charles 
Walker,  George  P.  Barker,  Charles  and  George 
Shedd,  Charles  E.  Blood,  William  C.  Richards,  Ira 
Russell,  Joseph  B.  Brown,  and  Samuel  Burnham. 
While  not  a  few  others,  having  obtained,  if  not  a 
full  public,  yet  a  substantial  education,  are  now,  or 
have  been,  in  various  capacities,  civil,  sacred,  and 
educational,  holding  positions  of  distinction,  and 
doing  honor  to  the  place  of  their  nativity,  by  a  use- 
ful application  of  the  training  they  here  received. 
Rindge,  as  well  as  the  State  of  which  she  is  a  rough 
and  rocky  part,  has  been,  and  still  is,  honorably  rep- 
resented by  the  sons  and  daughters  she  has  sent 
abroad. 

In  regard  to  the  state  of  morals,  this  people, 
staid  and  conservative  as  they  are  reputed  to  be, 
probably  have  degenerated  no  more  than  their 
fellow-citizens  in  adjacent  places.  In  the  observ- 
ance of  the  Sabbath,  reverence  for  other  sacred 
institutions,  honesty,  integrity,  and  general  up- 
rightness and  circumspection  of  deportment,  this 
people  will  not  probably  suffer  in  comparison  with 
others  of  the  present  day  and  generation.  As  to 
the  use  of  intoxicating  drinks,  though  very  much 
is  drunk,  and  many  are  going  into  the  drunkard's 
grave,  as  many  have  gone  before,  yet  to  the  man 


12 


who  can  remember  the  practices  in  this  matter 
forty  years  ago,  a  great  reformation  is  manifest 
in  the  views  and  habits  of  the  people.  At  the 
period  referred  to,  it  was  the  many  that  used  the 
article,  —  the  few  who  abstained.  Now,  it  is  the 
many  that  abstain,  —  the  few  that  drink. 

A  fact  of  general  interest  touching  the  cause  of 
Temperance  may  here  be  stated.  At  the  meeting 
of  the  General  Association  of  New  Hampshire  in 
this  place  in  1827,  at  the  suggestion  of  your  Pastor, 
it  was  unanimously  voted  that  the  members  should 
not  use  at  their  boarding-houses  any  intoxicating 
liquors.  Previous  to  this  such  liquors  had  been 
present  in  the  families  where  the  members  were 
entertained.  From  that  time,  it  is  believed,  no 
intoxicating  drink  has  been  used  or  seen  in  any 
ministerial  meeting  in  the  State. 

If  other  vices  and  offences  have  become  more 
prevalent  than  in  the  days  of  the  fathers,  the  fact 
is  to  be  deeply  deplored,  and  the  guilty  are  called 
upon  to  put  away  the  evil  of  their  doings,  to  "  cease 
to  do  evil,"  and  "  learn  to  do  well."  And  how  much 
soever  that  has  been  wrong  a  review  of  our  his- 
tory may  bring  to  light,  yet  in  regard  to  all  that 
pertains  to  the  subjects  and  interests  above  con- 
sidered, we  have  occasion  to  adopt  with  grateful 
hearts  the  language  of  the  text,  "  Hitherto  hath  the 
Lord  helped  us" 

II.  The  Lord  hath  helped  us  in  our  religious 
concerns. 


13 


It  appears  from  the  records,  that,  as  early  as  1760, 
or  eight  years  from  what  has  generally  been  con- 
sidered as  the  permanent  settlement  of  the  town, 
measures  were  taken  to  secure  preaching ;  but  it  is 
believed  that  the  Church  was  organized  near,  if  not 
at,  the  time  of  the  ordination  of  the  first  Pastor, 
November,  1765.  From  the  votes  on  record,  it  is 
rendered  very  probable  that  preaching  was  enjoyed, 
occasionally  at  least,  previous  to  his  ordination. 
Thus,  in  1763,  the  record  states  that  the  town 
"  unanimously  voted  to  give  Mr.  Timothy  Walker, 
Jr.,  a  call  to  settle  with  them  in  the  Gospel  minis- 
try, amongst  them  in  said  township,  if  he  seeth 
fit."  There  is  no  record  of  his  reply;  but  he  did 
not  "  see  fit "  to  accept  the  invitation.  Mr.  Walker 
is  believed  to  be  the  gentleman  afterward  known 
as  the  Hon.  Timothy  Walker  of  Concord,  a  son  of 
the  first  minister  of  that  town,  and  for  many  years 
a  Judge  of  the  Court,  and  a  leading  man  in  civil 
affairs. 

On  Nov.  6,  1765,  Kev.  Seth  Dean,  from  Killingly, 
Conn.,  was  ordained  the  first  Pastor,  and  was  dis- 
missed in  September,  1780,  at  his  own  request. 
Rev.  Seth  Payson,  D.  D.,  became  Pastor  of  this 
Church  by  ordination,  Dec.  4,  1782.  He  was  a  na- 
tive of  Walpole,  Mass.,  a  son  of  the  minister  of  that 
place,  and  had  two  brothers  in  the  ministry.  He 
had  five  sons  and  two  daughters.  Of  these  sons  two 
became  ministers,  one  of  whom  is  well  known  as 
the  late  celebrated  Rev.  Edward  Payson,  D.  D.,  of 
Portland.  Dr.  Seth  Payson  was  a  graduate  of  Har- 


14 


vard  College;  entered  the  ministry  at  an  earlier 
age  than  was  common  at  that  time ;  possessed  a 
clear,  discriminating  mind ;  had  deep  experience 
in  spiritual  things,  and,  while  he  prosecuted  the 
work  of  the  ministry  with  great  ability  and  faith- 
fulness, and  secured,  in  a  degree  unusual  even  at 
that  day,  the  confidence  and  veneration  of  the 
"flock  over  the  which  the  Holy  Ghost  had  made 
him  overseer,"  he  became  one  of  the  leading  min- 
isters of  his  denomination  in  the  State  in  all  eccle- 
siastical and  benevolent  concerns.  After  a  life  of 
great  usefulness,  he  died  February  26,  1820,  aged 
sixty-two,  having  just  entered  the  thirty-eighth 
year  of  his  ministry. 

Many  anecdotes  have  been  related  of  Dr.  Payson, 
for  which  there  is  no  r"oom  in  a  discourse  of  this 
kind ;  but  an  incident  which  he  himself  often  spoke 
of  with  much  satisfaction  will  not  be  out  of  place. 
While  on  a  missionary  tour  in  the  then  Province 
of  Maine,  arriving  at  a  dwelling  to  which  he  had 
been  directed,  he  overheard  the  good  woman  say 
to  a  neighbor,  who  had  called  upon  her,  "What 
shall  I  do  ?  I  have  nothing  to  offer  the  minister 
but  Indian  cake."  "  Set  it  on,"  replied  the  neigh- 
bor ;  "  if  he  is  a  good  man,  he  will  be  satisfied ;  and 
if  he  is  not  a  good  man',  'tis  better  than  he  de- 
serves." 

And  for  future  reference  it  is  proper  to  record, 
that  the  present  Pastor,  a  native  of  Dunbarton,  son  of 
Deacon  Samuel  Burnham  of  that  place,  and  brother 
of  the  late  Rev.  Dr.  Burnham  of  Pembroke,  gradu- 


15 


ated  at  Dartmouth  College  in  1815,  pursued  the 
prescribed  course  of  study  in  the  Theological  Sem- 
inary at  Andover,  Mass.,  left  that  institution  in  the 
class  of  1818,  and,  after  being  employed  in  the 
Home  Missionary  service  in  this  State  and  first 
principal  of  Pembroke  Academy,  was  ordained  the 
immediate  successor  of  Rev.  Dr.  Payson,  Pastor 
of  this  Church  and  religious  Society,  November  14, 
1821* 

The  Society,  with  which  the  present  Pastor  be- 
came connected  in  1821,  was  constituted  in  March, 
1820,  and  is  believed  to  be  the  first  that  was  formed 
in  this  State  under  what  was  denominated  the 
"Toleration  Act"  of  1819.  Such  an  organization 
was,  at  that  time,  a  new  thing.  Questions,  doubts, 
and  difficulties  were  felt  and  foreseen  ;  but, "  moved 
by  a  desire,"  as  the  founders  say,  "  of  enjoying 
among  ourselves,  and  of  transmitting  to  our  pos- 
terity, the  enjoyment  of  the  benefits  accruing  from 
the  public  worship  of  God,  and  the  ordinances  of 
the  Gospel,"  these  "  good  men  and  true  "  organ- 
ized the  Association,  known  then,  and  ever  since, 


*  The  clergymen  who  composed  the  Council  and  took  part  in  the 
ordination  were  :  Rev.  Laban  Ainswortb,  of  Jaffrey,  who  was  Mod- 
erator, and  gave  the  Ordaining  Prayer  ;  Rev.  E.  Clark,  of  Win- 
chendon,  Scribe ;  Rev.  Richard  Hall,  of  New  Ipswich,  Introductory 
Prayer ;  Rev.  Abraham  Burnham,  of  Pembroke,  Sermon  from  1  Corin- 
thians iii.  9,  "  We  are  laborers  together  with  God " ;  Rev.  John  Gush- 
ing, D.  D.,  of  Ashburnham,  Charge  ;  Rev.  John  M.  Putnam,  of  Ashby, 
Mass.,  (only  member  of  the  Council  now  living,)  Right  Hand  of  Fel- 
lowship ;  Rev.  John  Sabin,  of  Fitzwilliam,  Concluding  Prayer. 


16 


by  the  name  and  style  of  "  The  First  Congrega- 
tional Church  and  Society  in  Rindge."  Eighty-one 
persons,  it  is  supposed,  affixed  their  names  to  the 
Constitution  at  the  organization  of  the  Society. 
The  first  name  was  that  of  the  late  Ezra  Thomas, 
the  second,  Samuel  L.  Wilder,  who  was  its  first 
Clerk,  and  who,  with  perhaps  twenty  others,  of  the 
original  eighty-one,  still  live  to  enjoy  the  blessings 
flowing  from  an  institution  which  they  gave  their 
names,  their  influence,  and  their  property  to  estab- 
lish and  maintain.* 

For  various  reasons  some  withheld  their  names ; 
many  have  died,  or  have  removed,  and  their  estates 
have  passed  out  from  the  Society ;  and  yet,  formed 
for  the  high  purpose  of  maintaining  and  trans- 

*  The  following  names  of  the  original  members  are  taken  from  the 
Society  Records :  — 

Ezra  Thomas,  Francis  Sawyer, 

Samuel  L.  Wilder,  Charles  Cutler, 

Hezekiah  Hubbard,  John  Fox, 

Eleazer  Blake,  Amos  Cutler,  Jr., 

Ebenezer  Brown,  Zenas  Stone, 

Eliphaz  Allen,  William  Eimball,  Jr., 

William  Barker,  Ezekiel  Demary, 

John  Perry,  Levi  Hubbard, 

Andrew  Calhoun,  Samuel  Tarbell, 

Joseph  Crombie,  Abiel  Holt, 

Gates  Rand,  Azariah  Buswell, 

Daniel  Norcross,  Joshua  Towne, 

William  Sherwin,  James  Robbins, 

Joshua  Converse,  Joseph  Moors, 

Thomas  Ingalls,  Ira  Converse, 

Joel  Raymond,  Henry  Smith,  Jr., 

Salmon  Stone,  Edward  Waldron, 

Abel  Perkins,  Jr.,  Asa  Jones, 

Josiah  Coburn,  Peter  Howe, 


17 


mitting  the  Gospel,  the  Society  has,  by  Divine  aid, 
pursued,  amidst  all  the  changes  that  have  occurred, 
"  the  even  tenor  of  its  way,"  and  enjoyed  the  bless- 
ings contemplated  by  its  founders.  And  while  it 
has  secured  to  the  members  and  their  families  the 
benefits  accruing  "  from  the  public  worship  of  God," 
it  has  kept  open  doors  for  all  who  choose  to  enter 
the  house  of  God,  whether  or  not  they  have  con- 
science enough  to  aid  in  supporting  the  privileges 
which  the  Society  has  placed,  and  still  keeps,  within 
their  reach. 

And  in  this  connection  it  may  not  be  amiss  to 
record  a  few  facts  bearing  on  the  financial  con- 
dition of  the  Society. 

William  Rugg,  Aquila  Kimball, 

Joseph  Page,  Noah  R.  Cook, 

Joseph  Wetherbee,  Selah  Lovejoy, 

Asaph  Brown,  Asahel  D.  Shurtleff, 

Ebenezer  W.  Brown,  Leonard  Wellington, 

John  Pritchard,  James  Bowers, 

Joshua  Walker,  Aaron  Brooks, 

Luke  Rugg,  Anios  Jewett, 

John  Lovejoy,  Joshua  Chadwick, 

David  Adams,  David  Wood, 

Nathan  Johnson,  William  T.  Kimball, 

Asa  Cole,  Josiah  Sawtell, 

Jonathan  Kimball,  Isaac  Wood,  , 

Josiah  Stratton,  Amos  Cutler, 

Benjamin  Hastings,  Israel  Gibson, 

Ephraim  Hunt,  Amos  Darling, 

Andrew  Kimball,  Sardine  Stone, 

Josiah  Pierce,  Nehemiah  Bowers, 

John  Bus  well,  Isaiah  Whitney, 

Hezekiah  Sawtell,  Quincy  Parker, 

Joshua  Todd,  Marshall  P.  Wilder. 
William  Stickney, 
3 


18 


Population  of  the  town  is  about  1,200. 
Valuation,  or  taxable  property  of  the  town,       $  500,000. 
"  "  "  «        Society,  $160,000. 

Average  and  present  number  of  members,  from  80  to  85,  or 
about  one  third  of  the  voters  or  tax-payers  in  the  town. 

But  hitherto  the  Lord  hath  so  helped,  that  the 
Society  has  promptly  met  every  expense.  In  1839, 
it  remodelled  and  repaired,  at  an  expense  of  $4,000, 
this  ancient  house,  built  by  the  fathers  in  1796,  on  a 
solid  foundation,  and  of  better  materials  than  can 
now  be  obtained ;  and,  with  the  assistance  of  the 
liberal  and  energetic  women  of  their  own  families, 
and  of  some  others,  have  rendered  it,  in  external 
appearance,  and  in  the  comfort  and  convenience 
within,  not  only  an  honor  to  themselves,  but  an 
ornament  to  the  place ;  a  house  which,  with  the 
chapel,  well  finished  and  furnished  by  the  same 
means,  is  second  in  conveniences  to  very  few  in 
this  vicinity. 

And  the  members  of  the  Society  and  their  fam- 
ilies bore  their  part  in  the  expense  and  effort  in 
the  finishing  and  furnishing  of  the  beautiful  Town 
Hall,  on  the  lower  floor,  and  eastern  portion  of  this 
house. 

Some  of  the  prominent  facts  relative  to  the 
meeting-houses  occupied  by  this  Church  and  Soci- 
ety, which,  some  research  has  enabled  me  to  obtain, 
may  be  concisely  stated. 

The  first  reference  to  a  meeting-house  which  I 
find  on  record,  is  a  vote  passed  at  a  meeting  of  the 


19 


Proprietors,  February  13,  1749,  that  such  a  house 
should  be  built  within  five  years,  at  their  expense. 
In  the  Charter,  also,  which  is  dated  at  Portsmouth 
on  the  16th  of  June  of  the  same  year,  it  is  re- 
quired that  a  meeting-house  should  be  built  within 
five  years  from  that  time.  But  in  1754,  at  the 
expiration  of  the  time,  it  was  voted  inexpedient 
to  build  a  house,  on  account  of  the  hostile  state  of 
feeling  manifested  by  the  Indians,  and  peace  with 
the  Indians  appears  to  have  been  a  condition  in 
the  Charter  on  which  their  obligation  in  this  case 
was  binding.  At  subsequent  meetings  the  propo- 
sition to  build  a  house  was  rejected,  although  a 
vote  to  raise  money  for  preaching  was  passed  at 
two  different  meetings,  and  the  house  of  Samuel 
Hodskin*  appointed  as  the  place  of  worship.  The 
vote  to  build  a  house  for  the  public  worship  of 
God  was  at  length  passed  at  a  meeting  held  at 
the  house  of  Abel  Platts,  May  28,  1761,  —  the 
length  to  be  fifty  feet  and  the  breadth  forty  feet, 
"  the  posts  and  all  the  timbers  to  be  proportion- 
able thereto."  Moses  Hale,  Abel  Platts,  and  Jona- 
than Stanley  composed  the  committee.  Some  time 
elapsed  before  the  enterprise  was  commenced,  for 
in  May,  1764, 1  find  it  voted  "  to  build  a  meeting- 
house this  spring,"  and  a  committee  chosen  to 
provide  the  liquor  for  the  raising,  in  case  the  non- 
resident Proprietors  should  refuse  to  do  it.  But, 

*  This  house  is  supposed  to  have  stood  near  the  present  residences  of 
Jeremiah  Norcross  and  Asa  and  Charles  E.  Stickney,  but  the  precise 
location  is  not  known. 


20 


as  I  suppose,  lest  what  was  deemed  so  essential 
to  the  success  of  the  undertaking  should  not  be 
secured,  they  voted  and  provided  one  barrel  of  mm, 
not  for  the  whole  work  of  erecting  and  completing, 
but  simply  for  the  raising  of  the  house. 

I  find  no  record  of  the  raising,  completion,  or 
dedication  of  the  house ;  but  in  1765  it  was  occu- 
pied for  public  worship  under  the  stated  ministra- 
tions of  Rev.  Seth  Dean,  the  first  pastor.  This 
house,  I  have  been  informed  by  the  late  Ezra 
Thomas,  Esq.,  who  recollected  the  building,  had  no 
pews  or  galleries  in  1770 ;  and  in  1779  there  is  a 
vote,  and  it  is  the  last  one  relative  to  that  house, 
to  finish  the  meeting-house. 

The  next  movement  in  the  town  regarding  a 
place  of  worship  is  a  vote  of  thanks  to  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Payson,  the  pastor,  relative  to  a  neiv  meeting- 
house, for  his  "  generous  offer,"  and  the  choice  of 
nine  persons  to  prepare  a  plan.  The  "generous 
offer"  of  the  pastor  was,  to  give  them  a  bell  if 
they  would  build  a  new  meeting-house  within  a 
limited  period,  I  think  three  years.  A  new  house 
was  needed  both  on  account  of  the  increased  popu- 
lation of  the  town,  and  of  the  inconvenience  and 
discomforts  of  the  existing  one. 

This  vote  of  thanks  was  passed  in  1792 ;  but  it 
was  not  until  May,  1794,  that  a  vote  was  obtained 
to  build  a  new  house ;  in  June,  to  sell  the  old 
house ;  and  September  8,  1794,  to  accept  the  plan 
presented  for  the  house,  by  a  vote  of  thirty-one  to 
seventeen,  the  dimensions  to  be  sixty-six  by  fifty- 


21 


two  feet.  But,  as  is  not  ^infrequently  the  case 
in  matters  of  a  public  nature,  there  was  so  much 
delay  that  the  offer  of  the  pastor  was  forfeited. 
This  delay  was  occasioned,  I  learn,  by  the  reluc- 
tance of  pew-owners  to  relinquish  their  rights.  .  In 
August,  1796,  it  was  voted  to  build  a  steeple  and 
to  let  it  out  at  $  330 ;  and  on  the  17th  of  October 
was  "  let  out,"  to  use  the  old-fashioned  phrase,  the 
raising  of  this  house,  within  whose  walls  we  are 
now  assembled.  One  or  two  items  regarding  the 
arrangements  for  raising  the  house  may  be  men- 
tioned, —  items  which  at  the  time  were  considered 
of  sufficient  consequence  to  be  voted  and  recorded 
in  the  Town  Meeting  of  a  respectable  Christian 
community,  and  they  show  us  the  views  and  habits 
of  the  generation  then  on  the  stage. 
It  is  on  record  that  the 

£    s.    d. 
Expense  of  Raising  was        .         .         .         .1800 

"       Food 31     4     0 

"       Liquors,  &c 25  10     0 

"       Lemons  and  Sundry  Articles  1     5     7£ 

Total       .         .        .         .      75  19     7£ 

And  four  shillings  and  ninepence  were  deducted  for 
the  rum-barrel  that  was  sold. 

These  items  are  not  mentioned  for  the  sake  of 
exciting  a  smile,  or  of  diminishing  the  respect  for 
the  men  of  that  day,  which  we  ought,  and  are  will- 
ing, to  render  them.  They  were  as  worthy  men  as 
live  now  ;  but  they  acted  according  to  the  views 
and  spirit  of  their  times;  while  we  can  rejoice  in 


22 


the  improvements  that  have  been  made,  as  well 
in  regard  to  the  means  of  raising  meeting-houses 
as  in  their  form  and  construction. 

I  find  no  record  of  the  dedication  of  this  house, 
but  am  informed  on  good  authority  that  the  dedi- 
cation occurred  January  11,  1797,  with  a  sermon 
by  the  pastor,  Rev.  Dr.  Payson. 

In  October,  1799,  an  article  was  inserted  in  the 
warrant  for  Town  Meeting,  to  see  if  the  town 
would  raise  $  500,  more  or  less,  to  purchase  a  bell. 
This,  or  some  article  to  the  same  eifect,  was  nega- 
tived, or  passed  over,  for  seven  years  in  succession  ; 
and  then  entire  silence  in  the  records  on  the  sub- 
ject until  March,  1816,  when  a  vote  was  passed  to 
raise  $  400,  to  purchase  and  hang  a  bell.  Thus, 
according  to  the  well-known  reputation  of  this 
people  for  caution  and  moderation  in  the  manage- 
ment of  their  pecuniary  concerns,  sixteen  years 
elapsed  after  the  first  motion  for  a  bell  was  made, 
before  the  people  allowed  themselves  to  be  called 
to  the  house  of  worship  by  the  solemn  but  cheer- 
ing sounds  that  for  the  last  forty-five  years  have 
saluted  their  ears  as  often  as  the  light  of  the  Sab- 
bath has  dawned  upon  them.  Upon  the  Sabbath 
following  the  hanging  of  the  bell,  Dr.  Payson,  with 
his  characteristic  aptness  in  the  selection  of  appro- 
priate texts,  preached  a  sermon  from  a  passage  in 
the  eighty-ninth  Psalm :  "  Blessed  is  the  people  that 
know  the  joyful  sound"  It  may  not  be  known  to 
all,  however,  that  the  town,  as  such,  was  at  very 
little  expense  for  the  bell.  The  ground  since  occu- 


23 


pied  by  four  pews  in  front,  on  each  side  of  the 
broad  aisle  in  the  room  below,  then  in  seats,  was 
sold  to  individuals,  and  the  avails  were  nearly,  if 
not  quite,  sufficient  to  defray  the  cost  of  the  bell. 

Thus  we  see  that  the  first  house  for  religious 
worship  in  this  town  was  built  in  1764  or  1765, 
and  on  almost  the  same  spot  this  house  was  erect- 
ed in  1796,  furnished  with  its  first  bell  in  1816, 
and,  with  the  exception  of  being  painted  in  1807 
and  1827,  received  but  few  repairs  until  it  was 
thoroughly  remodelled  in  1839,  and  dedicated  De- 
cember 25th  of  that  year.  A  sermon  was  preached 
by  the  pastor  from  the  text  in  Ezra  v.  11 :  "  We  are 
the  servants  of  the  God  of  heaven  and  earth.,  and  build  the 
house  that  was  builded  these  many  years  ago!' 

In  this  connection  a  few  words  are  appropriate 
relative  to  the  salaries  of  the  pastors. 

The  salary  of  Rev.  Mr.  Dean  is  not  known,  —  Dr. 
Payson  received  two  hundred  pounds  "  settlement," 
as  it  was  called,  and  eighty  pounds  salary,  —  near 
the  close  of  his  life  it  was  increased  to  five  hundred 
dollars.  The  present  Pastor's  salary  was,  at  the  first, 
$400,  with  the  use  of  the  Parsonage-house  and 
land,  valued,  probably,  at  the  time  of  his  ordina- 
tion, at  $  100.  Doubtless  the  Society  intended  that 
the  Pastor  should  receive  $500  per  annum,  and 
throughout  the  changes  that  have  been  experi- 
enced in  these  forty  years,  no  alteration  in  the 
salary  has  been  made.  None  has  been  asked,  and 
none  proposed. 

It  is  due,  however,  to  the  thoughtful  generosity 


24 


of  the  people  to  state,  that  by  various  gifts,  espe- 
cially by  "Donation  Visits,"  they  have  afforded 
great  encouragement  and  substantial  aid  to  the 
Pastor  and  his  family. 

One  fact,  on  the  subject  of  salary,  which  has 
already  been  given  to  the  public  through  another 
channel,  should  here  be  recorded  to  the  honor  of 
this  Society,  and  for  an  example  to  others  holding 
the  same  relation. 

The  salary,  which  is  raised  by  a  tax  on  the  mem- 
bers, in  the  same  manner  as  the  tax  in  the  town 
is  assessed,  has  been  paid  to  the  Pastor  in  one  sum, 
and  for  twenty  or  more  years  by  the  same  indi- 
vidual,* on  the  very  day  specified  in  the  contract,  for 
thirty-nine  years,  —  excepting  the  years  when  the 
day  of  payment  has  fallen  on  the  Sabbath;  then 
the  money  has  been  paid  on  the  preceding  day.  The 
Pastor  has  nothing  to  do  in  the  matter,  but  to 
receive  the  amount  at  the  hands  of  the  Treasurer 
and  sign  a  receipt  already  prepared,  and  use  the 
money  ;  and  this  admirable  habit,  so  excellent 
in  its  influence  on  Pastor  and  people,  has  pro- 
duced such  confidence,  that  the  Pastor  has  felt 
for  nearly  forty  years  about  as  sure,  and,  notwith- 
standing the  distress  of  the  times,  does  now  feel 
almost  as  sure,  that  his  salary  will  be  paid  at  the 
appointed  time  as  that  the  sun  will  rise  that  day. 
If  the  people  of  any  other  country  Parish  in  New 
England  have  treated  their  Pastor  in  this  singular 
way,  the  fact  has  not  come  to  my  knowledge  ! 

*  Jason  B.  Perry,  Esq. 


25 


The  tendencies  and  habits  of  this  people  are 
decidedly  cautious  and  conservative ;  but  they  are 
as  patriotic,  and  as  ready  to  make  sacrifices  for  the 
country,  —  as  ready  to  embark,  and,  according  to 
their  ability,  are  as  liberal,  hi  every  department 
of  Christian  benevolence,  as  any  other  people  or 
congregation  in  the  State. 

And  it  is  deemed  proper  to  note  in  figures  the 
amount  of  moneys  appropriated  by  this  Church  and 
Society,  and  their  families,  for  the  support  of  the 
Gospel,  and  the  various  benevolent  institutions  and 
enterprises  of  the  age  :  — 

Amount  of  Pastor's  salary,  $  500  per  year,  forty 

years $20,000 

Remodelling  and  repairing  Meeting-House  and 

Parsonage 5,550 

And,  knowing  as  I  do  the  comparatively  limited 
means  of  the  people,  I  think  it  right  to  record  the 
figures,  showing,  not  the  actual  toil  and  sacrifice 
endured,  but  simply  the  amount  that  has  been  con- 
tributed, chiefly  by  the  female  benevolent  Societies 
of  this  Church  and  Congregation. 

The  Sewing-Circle,  in  forty  years      .         .         .         .  $  1,500 
Ladies'  Bible  Association,  in  thirty-three  years       .         1,000 
Female  Auxiliary  H.  M.  Society,  in  thirty-three  years     1,000 
Soldiers'  Aid  Society,  with  some  help  from  patriotic 
women  not  belonging  to  this  congregation,  in  six 
months 100 

Total $3,600 

Male  and  Female  contributions  for  home  and  foreign 

distribution,      .        .        .        .        .        .        .    $30,000 


26 


I  observe,  further,  By  divine  aid  you  have  en- 
joyed what  you  believe  to  be  "  the  faith  once  deliv- 
ered to  the  saints."  In  other  words,  that  system  of 
Christian  doctrine  which  you  believe  to  be  clearly 
taught  in  the  Bible,  and  which  was  originally 
received  and  professed  by  this  Church,  has  here 
been  maintained  without  variation,  and  without  the 
mixture  or  addition  of  novelties  and  speculations 
of  man's  device,  by  which  the  light  of  so  many 
Churches  has  been  obscured,  and  their  influence 
corrupted. 

With  us  the  inquiry  has  not  been  for  some  new 
scheme  of  doctrine,  but  for  "  the  old  paths,"  marked 
out  by  the  Word  of  God,  and  trod  by  the  fathers; 
and  by  walking  therein  we  have  found  rest. 

The  prominent  marks  of  this  way  are,  —  the  en- 
tire sinfulness  by  nature  of  the  human  heart ;  the 
necessity  of  a  radical  change,  effected  by  the  special 
influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  the  perfection  of  the 
Divine  character  and  law ;  the  supremacy  and  sov- 
ereignty of  the  Divine  government  in  the  kingdoms 
of  nature,  providence,  and  grace ;  salvation  by  the 
grace  of  God,  through  the  atonement  made  by 
Jesus  Christ,  received  by  the  sinner  in  penitence 
and  faith ;  and  a  day  of  future  judgment,  followed 
by  eternal  retribution,  awarded  to  each  individual 
according  to  his  character. 

And  this  people  have  never  experienced  the 
unhappy  influence  on  all  the  most  important  in- 
terests of  the  community,  of  a  frequent  change  of 
Pastors.  For,  during  the  ninety-six  years  of  its 


27 


existence,  it  has  had  only  three,  —  Rev.  Seth  Dean, 
who  was  ordained  November  6,  1765,  and  whose 
ministry  of  fifteen  years  was  closed  by  his  own 
request ;  Rev.  Dr.  Seth  Payson,  who  was  ordained 
December  4,  1782,  and  was  Pastor  thirty-seven 
years,  and  the  precious  fruits  of  whose  able  and 
faithful  ministry  and  godly  conversation  remain  to 
this  day  manifest  proofs  of  the  value  of  perma- 
nence in  the  pastoral  relation;  while  the  third 
Pastor,  ordained  November  14,  1821,  "having  ob- 
tained help  of  God,  continues  to  this  day."  Thus, 
in  ninety-six  years,  this  Church  has  enjoyed  ninety- 
two  and  a  half  years  of  pastoral  labor,  seventy- 
seven  of  them  by  two  ministers,  and  has  been  des- 
titute of  an  ordained  Pastor  only  three  and  a  half 
years ;  and  during  the  last  forty  years  has  been 
destitute  of  preaching  probably  not  more  than  six 
Sabbaths. 

And  it  is  a  fact  worthy  to  be  noted,  that,  though 
this  Church  has,  of  necessity,  in  the  course  of  almost 
a  hundred  years,  experienced  difficulties  and  trials, 
yet  in  all  this  period  only  four  times  has  an  Eccle- 
siastical Council  been  called  ;  and  in  these  instances, 
not  to  "  advise  "  in  matters  of  difficulty,  but  simply 
to  ordain  three  Pastors,  and  dismiss  one  of  the 
three.  Doubtless  some  advantages  arise  from  an 
occasional  change  of  Pastors ;  these,  however,  it  is 
believed,  are  overbalanced  by  those  flowing  from 
the  continuous  ministrations  of  one,  who,  qualified 
for  his  work  at  the  first,  and  identifying  himself 
with  the  people,  devotes  himself  for  life  to  labors 


28 


for  their  good.  In  the  blessings  of  such  a  ministry 
this  people  have  richly  shared.  And  in  view  of  the 
numerous  conflicting  elements  and  revolutionary 
agencies  that  have  been  working  all  around  us  dur- 
ing these  forty  years,  seriously  affecting  both  the 
ministry  and  the  churches,  the  measure  of  peace 
and  quietness  this  Church  has  enjoyed  in  itself, 
and  under  an  uninterrupted  ministry,  demands  this 
day  a  devout-  acknowledgment  of  the  goodness 
of  God.  And  I  here  state  as  a  fact,  that  my  es- 
teemed ministerial  brother,  Rev.  Dr.  Barstow  of 
Keene,  and  myself,  are  the  only  Congregational 
Pastors  in  the  State  now  officiating  where  they  did, 
if  indeed  anywhere,  forty  years  ago.  And  when  in 
my  youthful  manhood,  and  with  much  fear  and 
trembling,  I  ventured  to  assume  the  functions  of 
the  pastoral  office  in  this  place,  I  had  not  the 
least  reference  in  my  mind  to  any  period,  long  or 
short;  I  received  the  people  as  mine,  and  gave 
myself  to  them  in  this  solemn  relation,  their  "  ser- 
vant for  Jesus'  sake  "  ;  and  I  have  reason  to  believe 
that  they  responded  to  this  dedication,  and  are 
ready  to-day  to  unite  with  me  in  adopting  the 
language  of  the  Hebrew  prophet,  "  Hitherto  hath  the 
Lord  helped  us." 

And  the  measure  of  success  which  has  attended 
the  present  ministry  is  certainly  to  be  attributed  to 
the  Divine  blessing.  In  regard  to  the  peculiar  and 
saving  results  of  the  Gospel,  "  It  is  not  of  him  that 
willeth,  nor  of  him  that  runneth,  but  of  God  that 
showeth  mercy."  "  Neither  is  he  that  planteth  any- 


29 


thing,  neither  he  that  watereth,  but  God  that  giveth 
the  increase."  This  is  the  doctrine  of  the  Bible, 
is  confirmed  by  all  experience,  and  the  truth  of  it 
is  felt  by  every  true  minister  of  Christ. 

If,  then,  general  intelligence,  the  cause  of  learn- 
ing, morality,  benevolence,  and  the  common  welfare 
of  the  people  have  been  promoted  in  the  period 
embraced  in  this  discourse,  —  if,  especially,  the  chil- 
dren of  God  have  received  "aid  and  comfort"  on 
their  way  heavenward,  and  others  have  cordially 
received  the  truth  and  laid  hold  on  eternal  life,  —  I 
feel  bound  devoutly  to  recognize  and  record  this 
day  the  unmerited  goodness  of  God.  That  in  some 
measure  these  precious  fruits  have  here  been  pro- 
duced, I  should  sin  against  God,  and  abuse  his 
grace,  were  I  to  entertain  a  doubt.  And  let  Pastor 
and  people  join  in  the  devout  ascription,  "  Not  unto 
us,  0  Lord,  not  unto  us,  but  unto  thy  name,  give 
glory,  for  thy  mercy  and  for  thy  truth's  sake." 

During  the  present  ministry,  ten  seasons  of  spe- 
cial interest  in  spiritual  things  have  been  enjoyed ; 
those  most  memorable  were  in  1822  and  1842 ; 
those  most  limited  in  extent  and  fruits,  in  the 
winter  of  1847-48,  the  spring  of  1850,  and  the 
winter  of  1857-58.  And  in  all  these  precious 
seasons  of  intense  labor,  as  well  as  of  joy,  no 
professed  u  Evangelist,"  or  "  Revival  Preacher,"  so 
called,  has  been  employed,  or  desired.  Whenever 
the  demand  for  labor  has  been  beyond  the  ability 
of  the  Pastor  to  meet,  assisted,  as  he  has  always 
been,  with  great  readiness  and  good-will,  by  the 


30 


Church,  ministers  of  churches  in  the  vicinity,  in 
whose  experience  and  discretion  we  had  confidence, 
have  "  come  over  and  helped  us." 

At  the  commencement  of  the  present  ministry 
this  Church  contained  from  one  hundred  and  forty 
to  one  hundred  and  fifty  members ;  and  during 
these  forty  years  have  been  added  481  by  pro- 
fession,—  average  12  a  year,  —  and  100  by  letter; 
total,  581.  Removed,  174  by  death;  180  by  dis- 
mission to  other  churches;  and  20  by  exclusion. 
While  200  are  now  resident  members,  only  12  are 
living  who  were  members  forty  years  ago. 

In  this  connection  it  may  be  well  to  state,-  that 
I  have  baptized  488  persons,  solemnized  265  mar- 
riages, and  attended,  probably,  650  funerals. 

No  particular  account  of  the  Sabbath  School  can 
here  be  admitted.  It  ought,  however,  to  be  re- 
corded and  uttered,  on  this  occasion,  that  this 
important  institution,  though  not  elevated  from 
its  proper  sphere,  nor  shorn  of  its  proper  power 
by  putting  it  into  the  place  and  time  assigned  to 
the  preaching  of  the  Word,  has  been  most  highly 
valued,  steadily  maintained,  and  with  an  increase 
in  interest  and  numbers,  to  the  present  time.  It 
embraces  two  thirds  of  the  congregation,  and  has 
furnished  probably  five  sixths  of  those  who  have 
been  admitted  to  the  Church  on  profession. 

This  people  were  trained  by  my  predecessor  to 
excellent  usages,  and  their  prevailing  sentiment 
and  practice  is  in  favor  of  "keeping  the  Sabbath, 
reverencing  the  sanctuary,"  rendering  due  respect 


31 


to  the  ministry,  and  sustaining  and  attending  the 
public  worship  of  God.  And  from  actual  examina- 
tion I  feel  safe  in  saying,  that  a  larger  proportion 
of  the  inhabitants  are  regular  attendants  upon  the 
ministrations  of  the  sanctuary  on  the  Sabbath  than 
in  any  other  place  in  this  section  of  the  country. 

Two  thirds  of  the  population  are  justly  reckoned 
as  attendants  at  the  house  of  God.  This  estimate, 
of  course,  embraces  the  congregation  worshipping 
at  the  Methodist  Chapel.  The  congregation  to 
which  it  has  been  my  privilege  to  minister  so  long 
is  the  largest,  except  one,  in  the  county,  and  there 
are  but  few  larger  in  the  State,  aside  from  the  city 
assemblies. 

The  office  of  Deacon,  important  as  it  is  to  the 
efficiency  of  the  ministry  and  the  edification  of  the 
Church,  ought  to  receive  at  least  a  passing  notice 
in  this  Discourse- 

The  course  pursued  by  this  Church  in  relation 
to  this  responsible  office  has  been  designed,  and,  as 
we  think,  adapted,  to  elevate  the  position,  and  give 
it  weight  and  honor  in  the  estimation  of  the  Church 
and  the  community,  and  increase  of  usefulness  in  its 
appropriate  line  of  service. 

A  simple  choice,  by  the  vote  of  the  Brethren,  has 
not  been  deemed  according  to  the  example  of  the 
primitive  Christian  Church  and  the  Apostles  at  the 
institution  of  the  Deaconship,  or  sufficient  to  meet 
the  full  design  of  the  office.  Nor  has  this  Church 
adopted,  as  some  other  churches  have  done  in  these 
revolutionary  times,  the  method  of  choosing  for  a 


32 


limited  period,  or  by  rotation,  —  so  that  all  who,  like 
Diotrephes,  "  love  to  have  the  pre-eminence,"  may 
have  "  a  chance  "  to  gratify  their  unholy  ambition. 

Chosen  by  the  Brethren,  and  after  due  delibera- 
tion signifying  their  acceptance  of  the  appointment, 
the  Deacons  have  been  inducted  into  the  office  with 
regular,  full  Divine  service,  —  prayer,  sermon,  and 
ordination.  And  the  choice  and  intention  has  been 
according  to  the  old  platform  and  practice  in  ap- 
pointing the  judges  of  the  New  England  Courts,  — 
"during  good  behavior";  and  the  fact  that  all  who 
have  occupied  this  important  post  in  this  Church 
have  maintained  it  till  death  or  change  of  resi- 
dence shows  that,  in  the  judgment  of  the  Brethren, 
they  "  used  the  office  of  a  Deacon  well."  No  record 
or  report  of  impeachment  is  found. 

Since  the  organization  of  the  Church,  in  1765, 
thirteen  have  held  the  office :  — 

Josiah  Ingalls,  Ebenezer  Brown, 

John  Lovejoy,  Benjamin  Eddy, 

Edward  Jewett,  Luther  Goddard, 
Francis  Towne,                      •       Adin  Cummings, 

David  Barker,  Joseph  B.  Breed, 

Hezekiah  Hubbard,  Omar  D.  Converse. 
Eleazer  Blake, 

The  two  last  mentioned  are  now  officiating  to  the 
acceptance  and  edification  of   the   Church. 

And  it  is  due  to  those  who  in  past  years  have 
been,  and  to  those  who  now  are,  members  of  the 
Choir,  to  say  that,  from  the  time  when,  forty  years 
ago  this  day,  Hon.  Marshall  P.  Wilder  conducted 


33 


the  singing  at  my  ordination,  to  the  present  hour, 
the  music  in  this  Church  has,  in  my  judgment, 
been  equal,  if  not  superior,  to  that  in  any  other  con- 
gregation in  this  vicinity  with  which  I  have  been 
acquainted  ;  and  that  during  this  long  period  the 
Pulpit  and  the  Choir  have  been  on  intimate  and 
harmonious  terms. 

In  reviewing  his  own  history,  the  Pastor  would 
do  injustice  to  himself  if  he  should  neglect  in  this 
public  manner  to  use  the  language  of  the  text  in 
his  own  behalf,  —  "Hitherto  hath  the  Lord  helped 
him."  Helped  in  his  ditties,  —  in  the  study,  the  sanc- 
tuary, as  "overseer  of  the  flock  of  God,"  —  in  duties 
pertaining  to  the  sick,  the  afflicted,,  and  the  dying, 
—  duties  as  spiritual  guide  to  Christians  and  in- 
quiring sinners,  —  and  all  the  round  of  cares  and 
labors  expected  of  a  New  England  country  Pastor. 
He  has  helped  me  and  my  family  in  toils  and  trials 
which  have  been  appointed  for  them  to  endure, — 
and  those  severer  trials  which  belong  more  par- 
ticularly to  the  Pastor,  and  which  arise  peculiarly 
from  his  relations  and  work  as  a  Christian  minister. 
But  of  trials  I  have  no  intention  or  disposition  to 
speak  in  this  Discourse ;  but  only  to  recognize  the 
help  which  God  has  afforded,  and  which  has  hith- 
erto sustained  me  in  all  the  way  that  He  has  led 
me  these  forty  years. 

In  this  time  I  have  written  2,050  sermons,  covering 
10,000  sheets  of  sermon-paper,  and,  with  some  excep- 
tions,—  through  feeble  health  in  1828  and  1829, — 
have  met  the  people  almost  every  Sabbath  twice,  and 


34 


generally  three  times.  Besides  this,  I  have  taken 
an  active,  and  to  me  a  very  delightful  part,  in  the 
Sabbath  School,  having  charge,  particularly  for  thirty 
years  past,  of  a  class  of  from  ten  to  thirty-five 
young  men,  who,  for  intelligence,  sound  mind,  and 
other  essential  elements  of  a  good  character,  are 
inferior  to  no  other  equal  number  of  young  men  in 
the  Congregation.  Of  miscellaneous  writings,  and 
other  services,  of  which  there  is  almost  no  end,  I 
give  no  enumeration. 

But  while  it  becomes  me  thankfully  to  acknowl- 
edge the  good  hand  of  God,  which  has  upheld  me 
in  labors,  trials,  and  responsibilities  incident  to  no 
other  calling,  I  am  very  happy  in  having  this 
opportunity  to  express,  in  the  presence  of  these, 
my  brethren  and  this  assembly,  and  here  to  record 
with  gratitude,  the  uninterrupted  confidence  which 
this  people  have  placed  in  me ;  the  forbearance 
which  they  have  exercised,  and  the  innumerable 
kindnesses  which  in  various  ways  they  have  shown 
to  the  Pastor  and  his  family.  May  the  God  of  all 
grace  and  comfort  pour  upon  you  and  your  chil- 
dren still  more  abundantly  the  blessings  of  his 
providence  and  grace. 

And  I  trust  the  people  are  ready  to  acknowledge 
the  help  of  God  in  preserving  them,  and  prospering 
them  in  all  their  important  interests ;  especially,  in 
enabling  them  to  support  and  enjoy  uninterrupt- 
edly for  so  long  a  time,  the  blessings  of  an  evan- 
gelical ministry.  To  deepen  your  convictions  of 
the  value  of  the  pure  Gospel,  and  of  your  indebted- 


ness  to  God,  just  compare  your  present  condition 
with  what  it  would  have  been  had  not  the  ordi- 
nances of  religion  been  maintained  here  for'.eighty, 
or  for  the  last  forty  years. 

Suppose  that  during  all  this  time  this  House  of 
God  had  been  closed ;  no  preacher  of  righteousness 
had  stood  up  in  this  pulpit,  and  set  forth  in  the 
name  of  Christ  the  great  truths  of  his  word ;  and 
no  spiritual  guide,  no  man  of  God,  had  been  seen 
among  you,  moving  from  house  to  house  to  impart 
instruction,  admonition,  and  consolation  to  the  peo- 
ple ;  or  suppose  that  you  had  been  occupied,  as 
some  churches  and  societies  have  been,  half  of  the 
time  these  forty  years  in  obtaining  and  dismissing 
ministers,  calling  councils,  changing  creeds  and 
forms,  and,  like  the  Athenians,  in  constant  pursuit 
of  some  "netv  thing?  or  that  you  had  been  subject- 
ed to  a  ministry  corrupt  in  doctrine  or  practice,  or 
in  both. 

While,  then,  this  people  are  reminded  to-day  of 
the  comparatively  peaceful,  onward  way  in  which 
God  has  led  them,  let  them  render  due  acknowl- 
edgment to  the  blessed  Gospel,  whose  genuine  fruits 
are  so  manifest  on  every  side.  Let  them  remem- 
ber, too,  that  these  blessings  flow  directly  and 
legitimately  from  strict  adherence  to  that  scheme 
of  doctrine  which  has  been  accepted,  preached,  and 
maintained  here  from  the  settlement  of  the  town 
to  this  day. 

As  we  stand  here,  then,  to-day,  Pastor  and  flock, 
after  forty  years  of  toil  and  trial,  joy  and  sorrow, 


36 


mutually  shared,  united  still,  and  cordially,  for 
aught  I  know,  as  at  the  first,  we  do  devoutly  ex- 
press, before  God  and  this  assembly,  and  here 
record  our  indebtedness  to  Divine  mercy,  in  the 
language  of  the  ancient  Hebrew  leader,  —  "  Hitherto 
hath  the  Lord  helped  us." 

By  this  imperfect  review  of  our  history,  an 
inquiry  is  suggested,  of  deep  interest  to  this 
Church  and  Society,  to  the  cause  of  truth,  and  the 
highest  welfare  of  this  people. 

The  Lord  hath  helped  you  hitherto;  but  how 
can  you  secure  his  help  in  time  to  come  ?  You  will 
need  his  aid  in  the  future  as  really  as  in  the  past. 
The  Pastor,  and  the  few  who  have  walked  and  wor- 
shipped, labored  and  suffered  with  him  for  all  this 
period,  and  yet  survive,  must  soon  pass  from  the 
stage,  and  leave  all  the  precious  interests  here 
concerned  to  other  hands.  The  past  experience  of 
the  Pastor  encourages  him  to  hope  for  all  needful 
Divine  aid  during  the  little  time  he  may  be  allowed 
to  live  and  to  labor  for  the  salvation  of  those  who 
have  been  intrusted  to  his  pastoral  care ;  and  the 
Church  and  Society  have  equal  reason  to  hope  for 
the  help  of  God  in  coming  time,  provided  they 
pursue  the  course  in  regard  to  the  Gospel  which 
has  so  manifestly  received  the  approbation  and 
blessing  of  God  nearly  one  hundred  years  in  this 
place.  If  the  Lord  has  helped,  and  so  richly  blessed 
you  in  connection  with  an  evangelical  ministry 
and  unbroken  pastoral  relations,  and  you  and  your 
children  to-day  rejoice  in  the  invaluable  fruits  of 


37 


such  a  ministry  as  has  been  maintained  among  this 
people,  and  if,  as  is  well  known,  the  effects  of  the 
same  system  of  truth  are  everywhere  substantially 
of  the  same  character,  then  the  way  to  secure  the 
Divine  aid  and  blessing  in  the  time  to  come  is  plain. 
The  general  condition  in  this  case  is,  the  united 
and  permanent  support  of  those  institutions  to 
which  you  are  so  deeply  indebted  for  your  past 
peace  and  prosperity. 

Reference  is  had,  not  only  to  the  support  of 
public  worship  in  its  appointed  forms,  but  to  the 
maintenance  of  that  system  of  doctrine  believed  by 
the  Pilgrim  Fathers,  by  Edwards,  Griffin,  Woods, 
your  own  venerated  Payson,  and  other  lights  of  the 
New  England  churches,  —  a  system  of  truth  which, 
when  rightly  set  forth  by  the  ministry,  is  most 
healthful  in  its  influence  on  all  the  interests  of  men 
the  world  over,  and  "is  the  power  of  God  unto 
salvation  to  every  one  that  believeth."  As  we  truly 
say  of  our  government,  it  is  the  best  under  heav- 
en, founded  by  the  Fathers  under  the  supervision 
of  God,  and  has  worked  well  and  filled  the  land 
in  its  breadth  and  length  with  blessings ;  so  the 
scheme  of  Christian  doctrine  here  referred  to,  usu- 
ally denominated  Evangelical  or  Calvinistic,  and 
the  Congregational  Church  polity,  and  perma- 
nence in  the  pastoral  office,  have  worked  well  in 
all  past  generations.  And  while  you  and  your 
children  gratefully  acknowledge  to-day  the  bless- 
ings you  and  they  and  your  fathers  received 
through  this  channel,  look  over  New  England, 


38 


the  moral  garden  of  the  world ;  look  at  the  great 
West,  and  onward  to  the  Pacific  Ocean,  where  a 
second  New  England  is  rising  up  to  bless  the  land 
and  the  world.  And  think,  too,  of  the  wonderful 
results  of  the  missionary  work  in  heathen  lands, 
and  bear  in  mind  that  all  are  directly  and  indirectly 
the  genuine  fruits  of  this  "glorious  Gospel  of  the 
blessed  God."  Let  it  be  here  maintained,  then,  to 
the  end  of  time.  And  whoever  in  coming  years, 
having  the  taste  and  spirit  of  these  times,  may 
wish  and  undertake  to  effect  an  essential  change  in 
the  religious  faith  and  usages  here  so  long  main- 
tained ;  to  disturb  waters  that  have  been  compara- 
tively so  quiet,  and  which  have  been  sending  forth 
blessings  of  incomprehensible  value  to  three  whole 
generations ;  let  that  man  be  admonished  that  he 
will  take  upon  him  a  fearful  responsibility.  It  is 
much  easier  to  disturb  than  to  allay,  to  scatter 
than  to  gather  up,  to  divide  than  to  unite,  to  de- 
molish than  to  build  up. 

But  in  reference  to  the  inquiry,  How  may  the 
help  of  God,  in  the  present  application  of  the  lan- 
guage, be  secured  in  time  to  come  ?  only  a  sug- 
gestion or  two  will  be  made. 

The  institutions  of  God's  appointment  must  be 
treated  as  He  requires.  Thus  the  Gospel,  the  Sab- 
bath, the  ministry,  and  the  ordinances  of  religion 
must  be  more  highly  valued.  All  reasonable  effort 
must  be  made  to  support  the  public  worship  of 
God,  and  the  stated  ministrations  of  an  ordained, 


39 


evangelical,  godly,  and  otherwise  qualified  Pastor ; 
and  the  doctrines  of  the  Gospel  believed,  and  its 
precepts  obeyed. 

It  is  necessary  that  your  children  should  be  trained 
to  support  and  obey  the  Gospel. 

The  slight  sense  of  obligation  in  this  matter  now 
manifested  by  a  large  portion  of  the  young  will  in 
process  of  time  be  entirely  lost,  unless,  contrary 
to  the  practice  of  some  of  whom  better  things  are 
reasonably  expected,  parents  and  heads  of  families 
shall  faithfully  endeavor  to  produce  in  the  mind  of 
those  committed  to  their  care  an  abiding  conviction 
of  the  value  of  the  Gospel,  and  their  obligation  to 
support  and  obey  it. 

The  young  should  be  reminded  of  the  goodly 
heritage  which  they  have  received  from  the  fathers, 
—  the  precious  fruits  of  an  Evangelical  ministry, 
continued,  as  has  here  been  the  fact,  from  past  gen- 
erations. The  founders  of  this  Society  felt,  for  they 
had  experienced,  the  inestimable  value  of  Christian 
institutions,  and  made  the  effort  and  sacrifice  neces- 
sary to  secure  for  themselves  and  their  posterity 
the  enjoyment  of  the  Gospel.  They  entertained  the 
real  Puritan  conviction  on  this  subject;  as  one  of 
the  early  New  England  fathers  said,  "  A  true  New 
England  man  could  no  more  live  without  a  minister 
than  a  blacksmith  could  work  his  iron  without  fire." 

Aim  to  fix  this  conviction  in  the  mind  and  con- 
science of  the  coming  generation,  that  they  may  be 
qualified  and  ready  to  take  the  places  and  fulfil 


40 


the  duties  of  those  who  now  sustain  the  institutions 
of  religion,  but  who  "  cannot  continue,  by  reason  of 
death." 

And  while  I  exhort  you,  beloved  Brethren  and 
friends,  to  cherish  a  deeper  sense  of  your  own 
indebtedness  to  the  Gospel,  and  train  your  children 
to  understand  and  fulfil  their  duties  to  God  and 
their  fellow-men,  so  that  you  and  they  may  rea- 
sonably hope  for  Divine  help  in  time  to  come,  I 
only  add,  —  "Follow  after  the  things  which  make 
for  peace,  and  things  wherewith  one  may  edify 
another."  And  while  you  contend  earnestly  for  the 
maintenance  of  the  "faith  once  delivered  to  the 
saints,"  "  endeavor  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit 
in  the  bond  of  peace."  Learn  the  wholesome  lesson 
suggested  by  the  facts  of  your  own  history,  as  given 
to-day,  and  that  of  contemporary  churches  and  re- 
ligious societies,  around  you  and  elsewhere. 

"Now,  the  God  of  peace,  that  brought  again 
from  the  dead  our  Lord  Jesus,  that  great  Shepherd 
of  the  sheep,  through  the  blood  of  the  everlasting 
covenant,  make  you  perfect  in  every  good  work 
to  do  His  will,  working  in  you  that  which  is  well 
pleasing  in  His  sight,  through  Jesus  Christ,  to  whom 
be  glory  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen." 


ORIGINAL    HYMN, 

WRITTEN   FOR  THE  OCCASION, 

BY   SAMUEL   BURNHAM, 

AND  SUNG  BT  THE  CHOIR  AFTER  THE  DISCOURSE. 


MEMORIES  of  the  past  come  swelling 
O'er  the  grave  of  twoscore  years ; 

Scenes  of  joy  and  sorrow  telling, 
Sun  and  shadow,  smiles  and  tears. 

Merry  shouts  of  joy  and  gladness 
King  out  from  the  shadowy  past, 

While  the  mournful  tones  of  sadness 
Wail  like  .winter's  shivering  blast. 

Many  a  loved  one,  fondly  cherished, 
Calmly  in  yon  churchyard  sleeps  ; 

Many  an  orange-flower  has  perished, — 
Many  a  willow  sadly  weeps. 

Many  a  voice  has  ceased  its  singing, 
But  in  brighter,  fairer  skies, 

Where  heaven's  harmonies  are  ringing, 
Joins  that  song  which  never  dies. 

Yet  we  feel  that,  hovering  near  us, 

Spirits  of  the  sainted  dead 
From  the  dim  past  come  to  cheer  us,    • 

With  their  guardian  wings  outspread. 


42 

Thus  do  memories  come  pressing 
On  the  track  of  bygone  years ; 

And,  though  sorrow  came  with  blessing, 
Smiles  are  glistening  through  the  tears. 

Bless  to  us  past  mercies  given, 

Bless  to  us  this  festal  day ; 
Point  us  all  the  road  to  heaven, 

Lead  us  in  the  shining  way. 

Just  beyond  death's  narrow  river, 
Heaven's  own  glories  on  us  shine  ; 

Grant  that  flock  and  shepherd  ever 
There  may  sing  of  love  divine. 


EXERCISES  IN  THE  TOWN  HALL. 


IMMEDIATELY  after  the  close  of  the  services  in  the 
Church,  Jason  B.  Perry,  Esq.,  Chairman  of  the  Com- 
mittee of  Arrangements,*  invited  the  audience  to 
proceed  to  the  Town  Hall,  which  was  appropriately 
decorated,  and  where  a  bountiful  collation  was  in 
readiness. 

Stephen  B.  Sherwin,  Esq.,  of  Rindge,  presided  at 
the  collation  and  during  the  exercises  of  the  after- 
noon and  evening. 

After  the  audience  had  been  seated  so  far  as  was 
practicable,  a  song  was  admirably  performed  by 
Miss  Julia  E.  Houston,  soprano  singer  at  the  Old 
South  Church,  Boston ;  a  Blessing  was  then  invoked 
by  Rev.  J.  W.  Guernsey,  of  Keene,  N.  H.,  formerly 
pastor  of  the  Methodist  Church  in  Rindge,  and  all 
were  supplied  in  the  most  liberal  manner  from  the 
well-furnished  tables. 


*  At  a  meeting  of  the  Society,  legally  called,  a  Committee  was  chosen 
to  make  all  necessary  arrangements  for  the  exercises  of  the  Anniversary, 
consisting  of  Col.  Jason  B.  Perry,  Col.  George  W.  Stearns,  and  Mr. 
James  B.  Robbins.  To  these  gentlemen,  and  to  the  various  sub-commit- 
tees afterward  appointed,  is  to  be  attributed  in  a  great  measure  thejid- 
mirable  order  and  marked  success  which  attended  the  whole  occasion. 


44 


After  the  collation,  and  another  song  by  Miss 
Houston,  who  contributed  greatly  to  the  enjoyment 
of  the  occasion,  during  the  afternoon  and  evening, 
by  her  admirable  singing,  Mr.  Sherwin  made  a  wel- 
coming address,  as  follows. 

ADDRESS    OF    STEPHEN   B.   SHERWIN,  ESQ. 

LADIES  AND  GENTLEMEN  :  —  In  behalf  of  our  venerable 
Pastor,  and  the  First  Congregational  Church  and  Society 
in  Rindge,  I  bid  you  a  most  cheerful,  a  most  hearty  wel- 
come. We  would  greet  you  with  a  friendly  greeting.  The 
occasion,  the  event  we  celebrate,  is  of  rare  occurrence  in 
this  or  any  other  community.  Few  indeed  are  the  clergy- 
men who  have  measured  the  term  of  forty  years  amongst 
any  one  people.  In  the  retrospect  there  are  many  rem- 
iniscences that  are  dark  and  chilling,  and  many  that  are 
pleasant  and  cheering,  all  of  which  are  incident  to  human 
life.  The  record  of  the  last  forty  years  shows  an  onward 
march  in  every  department  of  life  unparalleled  in  the 
annals  of  time.  Were  all  the  changes,  inventions,  and' 
improvements  that  have  occurred  within  that  time  written 
out,  they  would  fill  a  volume  that  the  measure  of  no  one 
man's  life  would  be  sufficient  to  read.  In  our  own  New 
Hampshire  but  little  remains  unchanged  except  our  granite 
hills,  and  even  they  have  not  wholly  escaped  the  sweep- 
ing tide  of  time  and  improvement.  The  mighty  influence 
of  our  republican  institutions  has  been  felt  almost  world 
wide,  and  man  has  been  struggling  for  his  freedom  in 
every  land.  In  Europe,  revolution  has  followed  revolution 
in  quick  succession ;  the  arm  of  tyranny  has  been  paralyzed 
in  Italy,  and  serfdom  in  Russia  has  found  its  grave. 
The  mighty  march  of  improvement  in  the  arts,  sciences, 
agriculture,  and  in  everything  that  pertains  to  the  eleva- 
tion and  happiness  of  man,  is  unprecedented  in  the  his- 


45 


tory  of  any  other  forty  years.  The  many  wonderful 
inventions  now  in  practical  use  which  have  gradually  pre- 
sented themselves,  and  by  common  use  and  association  have 
lost  all  that  is  strange  and  wonderful,  to  the  man  of  forty 
years  ago  would  be  most  mysterious,  most  unaccount- 
able. Could  the  man  who  has  slept  beneath  the  sod  the 
last  forty  years  be  waked  from  that  sleep  to-day,  and  behold 
a  steam-engine  followed  by  a  train  of  cars,  freighted  with 
human  beings,  speeding  its  way  among  his  native  hills, 
what  think  you  would  be  his  astonishment,  what  his  con- 
sternation, and  to  what  agency  would  he  ascribe  all  this  ? 
Would  he  not  at  once  attribute  it  to  that  evil  spirit  of 
which  he  was  so  often  reminded  by  the  reverend  clergy 
of  his  day  ?  Show  him  next  that  man  can  take  that 
subtile  agent,  known  only  to  him  as  seen  in  the  heavens 
by  the  name  of  "lightning,"  charge  it  with  a  message, 
send  it  at  his  will  hundreds  of  miles  in  a  few  seconds,  and 
cause  it  there  to  write  the  same  on  paper,  —  would  he  not 
be  doubly  confirmed  in  his  first  opinion  ?  Such,  ladies  and 
gentlemen,  are  examples  of  some  of  the  wonderful  and 
practical  inventions  that  have  dawned  upon  the  world 
during  the  stay  of  our  venerated  Pastor  amongst  us. 

I  would  not  dim  or  mar  your  happiness  on  this  occasion ; 
but  there  is  another  change  which  is  a  sadder  picture. 
The  great  heart  of  the  nation  throbs  with  anxious  and  dis- 
turbed pulsations :  what  man,  looking  from  the  stand-point 
of  forty  years  ago,  ever  dreamed  that  to-day  the  suicidal 
hand  would  be  raised,  —  that  treason  would  be  rife  in  our 
land,  threatening  the  destruction  of  the  best  government 
upon  which. the  sun  ever  shone?  So  it  is;  but  while  the 
picture  is  dark,  our  hope  for  the  future  is  bright  and 
joyous.  And  now  permit  me  to  say,  I  will  not  by  any 
extended  remarks  delay  the  audience  from  the  rich  enter- 
tainment for  which  we  are  all  in  eager  expectation.  Again 
I  bid  you  a  most  sincere,  a  most  cordial  welcome. 


46 

The  first  regular  sentiment  was  then  read  by  the 
President. 

The  Clergy  of  New  Hampshire :  But  few  are  fortunate 
enough  to  retain  their  settlement  for  the  celebration  of  its 
Fortieth  Anniversary. 

Rev.  Z.  S.  Barstow,  D.  D.,  of  Keene,  N.  H.,  was 
then  introduced  as  the  only  clergyman  present,  with 
the  exception  of  Dr.  Burnham,  and  beside  him  the 
only  Congregational  clergyman  in  the  State,  who 
could  appropriately  respond  to  the  sentiment. 

ADDRESS    OF   REV.   Z.   S.  BARSTOW,  D.D. 

MR.  PRESIDENT  : . —  You  call  on  me  to  respond  to  the  sen- 
timent. I  understand,  Sir,  that  I  have  been  published  in 
the  papers  as  one  of  the  speakers  on  this  occasion.  But  I 
never  heard  a  syllable  of  it  till  I  came  upon  this  platform. 
Nor  had  I  the  most  distant  expectation  of  being  thus  un- 
ceremoniously called  upon. 

But,  if  I  understand  it,  the  sentiment  calls  for  remarks 
upon  the  importance  of  a  "  permanent  ministry."  And, 
Sir,  though  I  admit  that  our  Methodist  brethren  have  some 
advantages  from  their  short  pastorates,  yet  they  have  lit- 
tle opportunity  to  form  enlarged  plans,  and  to  carry  them 
out  to  their  results.  But  our  system  enables  us  to  give 
ourselves  and  our  full  powers  to  the  people  over  which 
"  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  made  us  overseers."  It  enables  us 
to  comprehend  the  wants  of  the  people,  their  interests, 
their  dangers,  and  the  best  means  of  promoting  their  tem- 
poral thrift,  their  educational  necessities,  their  moral  and 
social  interests,  and  the  thorough  instruction  of  the  people 
in  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints. 

Besides,  Sir,  we  have  an  illustration  of  this  whole  subject 


in  the  discourse  which  we  have  heard  this  day ;  of  the 
great  advantages  to  be  derived  from  a  permanent  ministry, 
in  the  prosperity  of  the  people,  the  stability  of  the  Church, 
and  their  general  advancement  in  all  things  lovely  and  of 
good  report. 

And  now,  Sir,  as  I  am  up,  I  wish  to  say,  that,  while  the 
great  object  of  the  ministry  is  to  train  men  up  for  an  inher- 
itance incorruptible,  undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  away, 
there  are  side  issues  of  incomparable  benefit  to  society. 
Among  other  things,  we  may  speak  especially  of  the  power 
of  the  pulpit  in  promoting  liberty  and  the  general  weal  of 
the  nation  !  Why,  Sir,  while  we  attribute  to  Mr.  Jefferson 
great  praise  for  his  admirable  Declaration  of  Independence, 
we  may  affirm  that  all  the  great  principles  contained  in  that 
document  had  been  elaborated,  discussed,  and  wrought 
into  the  minds  of  the  people  by  the  clergy  of  New  England 
and  New  Jersey,  and  Mr.  Jefferson  himself  acknowledged 
that  "  the  platform  of  the  Congregational  Church  sug- 
gested the  platform  of  our  liberties  "  ! 

And  Mr.  Hume  himself,  who  was  no  special  advocate  of 
the  Puritanical  principles  of  our  fathers,  acknowledged 
"  that,  whatever  of  civil  and  religious  liberty  England  now 
enjoys,  she  owes  it  all  to  the  Puritans  "  /  And  every  one 
knows  what  a  power  the  pulpit  had  in  clipping  the  wings  of 
the  hierachy,  purifying  the  liturgy  of  its  Popish  complexion, 
and  "  giving  strength  to  the  democracy  of  England." 

We  might,  go  still  further,  and  affirm  that  the  clergy  did 
much  toward  giving  the  key-note  in  the  declaration  of 
American  independence.  It  was  Witherspoon,  and  not  the 
elder  Adams,  that  first  gave  the  impulse  to  the  Convention 
at  Philadelphia!  He  stepped  forth,  saying,  in  substance, 
though  I  cannot  remember  his  words  precisely  :  "  I  have  a 
wife  and  children  that  I  tenderly  love,  and  God  has 
blessed  me  with  earthly  possessions !  And  I  am  ready  to 
sacrifice  all.  Let  us  be  free  !  "  And  from  that  arose  the 
enthusiasm  and  courage  of  that  venerated  Convention! 


48 


But  I  need  not  enlarge.  I  have  only  to  refer  to  the 
words  of  Cowper :  — 

"  The  pulpit  (in  the  sober  use  of  its  legitimate,  peculiar  powers) 
Must  stand  acknowledged  while  the  world  shall  standt 
The*  most  important  and  effectual  guard, 
Support,  and  ornament  of  virtue's  cause" 

The  pulpit  does  more  to  promote  political  economy 
and  to  advance  the  common  weal,  than  statesmen,  pris- 
ons, and  the  power  of  law  to  prevent  the  outbreakings 
of  crime,  and  to  make  human  society  tolerable !  Yes, 
Sir,  it  does  more  than  all  things  else  to  promote  men's 
welfare. 

Therefore,  we  say  to  the  good  people  of  Rindge :  "  Hold 
on  upon  a  permanent  ministry.  And  remember,  that  while 
there  are  many  new  things,  and  many  true  things,  the  new 
things  are  not  true  things,  and  the  true  things  are  not 
new  !  " 

Rev.  Asa  Rand,  son-in-law  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Seth 
Payson,  former  Pastor  of  the  Church  and  Society 
in  Rindge,  was  then  called  upon  to  respond  to  the 
following  sentiment :  — 

The  Memory  of  Dr.  Payson :  "  Instead  of  the  fathers 
shall  be  the  children."  —  Rev.  Mr.  Rand,  a  native  of 
Rindge,  and  son-in-law  of  the  venerated  Payson,  and  known 
to  the  public  from  the  press  and  the  pulpit,  is  welcomed  by 
his  townsmen  as  an  honorable  connecting  link  between  the 
present  and  the  past. 


ADDRESS    OF   REV.   ASA    RAND. 

RESPECTED  FRIENDS  :  —  Your  chairman  proposes  that  I 
speak  of  the  past  and  the  present ;  of  your  former  Pastor 
and  his  times;  of  the  pulpit  and  the  periodical  press, 


49 


with  both  of  which  I  have  had  responsible  connection 
in  my  protracted  life  and  labors.  But  he  allows  me 
only  a  few  minutes ;  and  will  therefore  permit  me  to 
confine  myself  chiefly  to  the  first  part  of  Dr.  Payson's  pas- 
torate, with  which  I  was  personally  acquainted.  As  I  am 
almost  a  stranger  in  the  present  congregation,  and  feel  that 
I  belong  to  a  generation  which  long  since  passed  away, 
it  may  be  necessary  to  give  a  brief  account  of  myself. 
Know,  then,  that  I  was  born  in  this  town  seventy-eight  years 
ago,  in  the  year  after  Dr.  Payson's  settlement ;  toiled  upon 
a  rugged  farm  to  the  age  of  nineteen ;  then  went  abroad  to 
acquire  an  education  for  the  ministry,  upon  which  I  entered 
about  fifty-four  years  since.  My  pastoral  labors  were  be- 
stowed on  a  beloved  people  in  Maine  during  fourteen  years  ; 
though  frequently  interrupted  by  severe  illness,  which  con- 
tinued from  one  or  two  weeks  to  six  months  at  a  time,  and 
at  length  imperatively  demanded  a  dissolution  of  a  happy 
pastoral  relation,  which  might  have  continued  to  this  day 
but  for  this  providential  dispensation.  My  next  thirteen 
years  were  devoted  principally  to  editorial  labors,  with 
very  little  public  speaking.  Regaining  health  in  a  good 
measure,  I  returned  to  the  pulpit,  preaching  as  stated 
supply  and  acting  pastor  in  several  places,  with  little  inter- 
ruption by  sickness,  during  the  nineteen  years  succeeding. 
For  the  six  years  past,  encompassed  with  infirmities,  I 
have  lived  retired  from  public  labors,  waiting  for  my  final 
summons  to  depart.  My  personal  acquaintance  with  this 
people  for  almost  sixty  years  has,  you  perceive,  been  very 
slight,  being  acquired  only  by  brief  and  infrequent  visits. 
Of  the  first  half  only  of  Dr.  Payson's  ministry  can  I  speak 
farther  back  than  others.  I  am  without  doubt  the  oldest 
native  of  the  town  now  present.  Two  others  I  find  who  are 
some  five  years  younger.  One  brother,*  not  a  native,  who 
came  to  the  town  in  early  manhood,  six  years  older  than 

*  S.  L.  Wilder,  Esq. 

7 


50 


myself,  can  look  back  on  Rindge  and  its  people  nearly  as 
far,  and  trace  their  history  down  to  the  present  hour,  when 
he  stands  before  you  to  recount  the  mercies  of  God  to  you, 
and  him,  and  his,  under  the  ministry  of  both  your  venerat- 
ed pastors.  When  I  received  your  kind  invitation  to  meet 
you  on  this  occasion,  I  doubted  the  prudence  of  exposing 
my  health  and  life  abroad  in  November  weather.  But  my 
heart  came  at  once,  and  now  a  kind  Providence  has  brought 
me  here  in  person.  And,  here  I  am  glad  to  be ;  for  here 
passed  the  days  of  my  childhood  and  early  youth ;  here 
are  the  graves  of  honored  parents  and  beloved  kindred ; 
here  some  of  my  relatives  yet  reside,  and  stand  connected 
with  your  church ;  here  I  was  joined  in  marriage  with  my 
first  beloved  companion,  the  eldest  daughter  of  Dr.  Payson, 
whose  life  on  earth  was  short,  and  whose  only  child  now 
living,  William  Wilberforce  Rand,  had  much  pleasure  in 
once  preaching  the  Gospel  to  you  the  summer  past.  Well 
may  I  love  to  unite  with  you  in  mutual  congratulations 
and  thanksgiving  to  the  God  of  all  grace,  who,  when  He 
saw  fit  to  call  home  the  venerated  Pastor  of  my  youth,  He 
set  another  light  in  the  golden  candlestick,  and  has  kept  it 
burning  so  brightly  these  forty  years.  To  God  be  all  the 
glory. 

But  what  of  Rindge  in  the  early  past  ?  Rindge  was  a 
rough  and  rocky  place.  Myself  and  my  contemporaries, 
and  especially  our  fathers  before  us,  were  chiefly  agricul- 
turists, compelled  to  be  laborious,  industrious,  and  frugal. 
I  see  you  have  made  great  changes  and  improvements, 
which  Dr.  Burnham  has  named,  contrasting  the  present 
aspect  of  material  things  with  that  which  he  first  saw  on 
his  coming  among  you.  What  would  he  have  said  if  he 
had  looked  over  the  town  one  or  two  generations  earlier  ? 
Why  even  now  your  soil  is  rugged,  and  demands  incessant 
toil.  Coming  to  this  neighborhood  after  a  sojourn  of  fifteen 
years  in  Central  New  York  and  Ohio,  I  could  not  but  ex- 
claim, How  can  this  people  live?  But  I  called  to  mind 


51 


the  lessons  of  my  youth,  and  laid  together  the  results  of 
extensive  observation  at  the'  East  and  the  West,  both  in 
city  and  country ;  and  I  here  declare  to  you  my  firm  con- 
viction, that  your  physical  training  and  mine,  with  all  its 
stern  necessities,  is  more  favorable  to  the  formation  of  a 
sterling  character,  whether  for  our  personal  happiness  or 
honor  or  usefulness,  than  that  which  can  usually  be 
obtained  on  the  facile  and  fertile  soil  of  the  West  and 
South,  or  amid  the  opulence  and  indolence  of  city  life. 
I  have  no  doubt  that  you  owe  much  of  your  temporal 
prosperity,  with  your  marked  stability  in  your  educational, 
moral,  and  religious  concerns,  to  the  influence  of  your 
rugged  soil  and  climate  and  your  isolated  situation.  Truly 
each  of  you  may  say,  with  me,  "The  lines  have  fallen  to  me 
in  pleasant  places ;  yea,  I  have  a  goodly  heritage." 

A  word  concerning  schools  and  facilities  for  obtaining 
education.  We  had  short  schools  in  summer  and  winter, 
and  we  children  thought  them  very  good.  "  Master  Fos- 
ter," an  excellent  penman,  and  for  many  years  town-clerk, 
was  my  early  male  teacher  several  years.  He  taught  read- 
ing, spelling,  writing,  and  the  rudiments  of  arithmetic ; 
not  a  single  word  of  English  Grammar,  or  Geography,  or 
one  on  that  long  catalogue  of  studies  you  now  have,  with 
improved  methods  of  study  and  instruction  which  learned 
professors  had  not  then  dreamed  of.  Why,  if  I  had  retained 
all  I  knew  when  I  left  college,  I  could  not  now  enter  the 
Freshman  Class,  and  could  scarcely  receive  the  approbation 
of  your  examining  committee  as  teacher  of  a  common 
school.  Of  books  for  intellectual  and  moral  improvement 
we  had  but  few  in  our  dwellings,  with  access  to  a  small 
social  library,  kept  some  years  at  the  house  of  the  Pastor. 
These  were  adapted  to  adults  and  older  scholars ;  but  for 
children  we  had  only  the  ever-blessed  Bible,  Watts's  Psalms 
and  Hymns,  and  the  New  England  Primer,  with  its  blue 
paper  cover  and  precious  contents ;  among  which  was  the 
Assembly's  Cateclu'sm,  which  every  child  should  write  upon 


52 


his  heart,  and  every  aged  man  and  woman  repeat  weekly 
till  their  dying  day.  For  children's  papers,  and  even  re- 
ligious periodicals  for  adults,  we  had  literally  none.  But 
now  what  scores  and  hundreds  of  papers  and  magazines 
and  Sabbath-school  books  for  all  ages.  Parents  are  at  a 
loss  to  select  what  is  safe  and  useful ;  and  youth  are  in 
danger  of  being  corrupted  with  that  literary  trash  which 
Satan  and  his  publishers  thrust  before  them  at  every  turn. 
Ah !  the  "Word  of  God  was  precious  in  those  days, — scarce  ; 
here  a  little,  and  there  a  little.  Now  the  heavenly  manna 
falls  every  morning  about  your  dwellings,  with  a  .tenfold 
portion  when  you  go  up  to  the  house  of  the  Lord  and  listen 
to  your  teachers,  your  assiduous  Pastor  among  them,  feed- 
ing the  lambs  in  the  Sabbath  School  and  the  sheep  from 
the  pulpit.  Truly,  blessed  are  the  people  who  hear  the 
joyful  sounds ;  yea,  blessed  are  they  who  so  hear  the  Word 
of  God  and  keep  it.  In  my  youth  I  heard  nothing  of  a 
Sabbath  School  or  Bible  Class ;  only  of  a  catechetical  lec- 
ture by  the  Pastor.  I  think  there  were  not  stated  meetings 
for  conference  and  prayer ;  and  the  time  had  not  come  for 
the  ministers  and  churches  in  this  region  to  engage  in  mis- 
sionary and  other  benevolent  enterprises  which  now  bless 
the  Church  and  the  world.  Later  in  his  ministry,  and  quite 
as  early  as  others,  Dr.  Payson  promptly  and  earnestly  en- 
gaged in  these  labors  of  love,  as  you  well  know,  and  led  on 
his  people  in  the  work. 

I  must  say  a  few  words  concerning  the  ministry  of  Dr. 
Payson  at  that  early  period,  his  doctrine,  manner  of  life, 
pastoral  labors,  and  influence  upon  the  people  of  his  charge. 
He  exerted  a  happy  influence  upon  schools  and  families, 
and  on  the  intellectual  and  moral  training  of  the  young. 
Of  the  character  of  his  preaching,  as  Scriptural,  lucid, 
faithful,  solemn,  and  affectionate,  your  present  Pastor,  with 
many  others,  has  borne  a  decided  testimony.  He  also 
makes  grateful  mention  of  the  influence  of  those  ministra- 
tions, together  with  a  consistent  life,  and  his  oversight  of 


53 


the  flock,  on  the  state  of  morals  and  religion,  and  the  pros- 
perity of  the  Church.  Thus,  through  the  protracted  labors 
of  his  predecessor,  Dr.  Burnham  found  things  in  a  good 
degree  made  ready  to  his  hand  ;  so  that,  through  Him  that 
giveth  the  increase,  the  sower  and  the  reaper  may  rejoice 
together,  and  together  give  all  the  glory  where  all  is  due. 

To  this  testimony  I  can  only  add  the  experience  and  ob- 
servation of  a  wayward  child  ;  for  I  must  ever  lament  that 
I  did  not  repent  and  believe  till  my  last  year  in  college, 
and  my  name  was  never  enrolled  in  this  Church.  But  I 
shall  ever  bless  God  that  my  feet  were  early  led  to  trudge 
three  miles  over  these  hills,  to  and  from  this  house  of  God, 
and  that  which  preceded  it ;  that  I  was  taught  to  remember 
the  Sabbath  day,  and  reverence  the  sanctuary  ;  and  that  I 
heard  such  preaching  as  made  the  sinner  tremble  and  re- 
solve, though  he  might  soon  forget.  Yes,  I  fully  believe 
that  the  constant  preaching,  which  I  could  never  treat  with 
levity  of  speech  or  feeling,  restrained  me  from  vice,  en- 
lightened my  mind,  kept  my  conscience  measurably  tender, 
settled  my  convictions  of  fundamental  truth,  and  thus  pre- 
pared the  way,  when  the  Spirit  came  with  quickening 
power,  for  my  becoming  a  living  believer  and  an  unworthy 
soldier  of  the  cross. 

Of  the  character  and  state  of  the  Church  at  that  period 
I  could  be  but  a  poor  judge.  I  saw  them  walking  in  the 
ordinances  of  the  Lord  harmoniously  ;  many,  I  thought, 
feared  God  and  wrought  righteousness ;  and  of  some, 
spiritually-minded  and  prayerful,  I  was  constrained  to  say, 
"  There  is  a  daily  beauty  in  their  lives,  that  makes  mo 
ugly."  I  think  there  were  not  at  that  period  copious 
showers  of  grace  upon  this  people,  such  as  have  since 
attended  the  labors  of  both  your  pastors.  Yet  God  granted 
the  former  and  the  latter  rain,  and  the  Church  was  in- 
creased and  refreshed  from  year  to  year.  In  this  commu- 
nity at  large  I  think  the  general  impression  was,  that  the 
doctrine  according  to  godliness  was  here  preached  ;  that 


-54 

pure  and  undefiled  religion  is  the  one  thing  needful  for  all ; 
and  that  such  a  ministry  as  they  had  should  be  stated, 
regular,  and  permanent.  Under  it,  as  under  that  which 
followed  it,  the  people  were  not  given  to  change ;  and  no 
one  suspected  that  the  Pastor  would  forsake  the  people 
whom  he  loved,  till  he  had  finished  the  work  which  his 
Lord  had  given  him  to  do. 

To-day  we  review  the  past,  and  lay  upon  our  souls  the 
responsibilities  of  the  present,  as  they  bear  upon  the  future. 
The  past  is  gone  forever,  the  future  is  unknown  to  mor- 
tals, the  present  is  all  we  can  call  our  own.  But  what  a 
price  it  puts  into  our  hands,  to  get  wisdom,  to  attain  salva- 
tion, to  glorify  God,  to  perpetuate  Gospel  privileges,  to 
diffuse  on  earth  the  knowledge  of  redeeming  love.  Pastors 
and  people  die,  and  go  to  their  final  account.  In  forty 
years,  a  number  equal  to  your  usual  congregation,  twice 
told,  have  here  joined  the  congregation  of  the  dead.  Have 
all  these  washed  their  robes,  and  made  them  white  in  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb  ?  God  alone  knoweth.  With  us,  num- 
bered with  the  living  still,  there  is  hope ;  an  accepted  time, 
a  day  of  salvation,  a  space  for  repentance,  a  time  to  work 
in  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord.  Shall  we,  by  help  from 
above,  make  it  as  the  beginning  of  still  brighter  days  to 
this  people,  to  the  Church  of  Christ,  and  a  dying  world  ? 
Have  all  our  brother's  hearers  believed  on  Christ  to  the 
saving  of  the  soul  ?  Is  this  Church  an  epistle  of  the  living 
God,  known  and  read  of  all  men  ?  Have  you  done,  and 
will  you  do,  all  that  in  you  lies,  that  "  the  Word  of  the 
faith  of  the  Gospel "  may  be  with  you,  and  your  children, 
and  your  children's  children,  till  time  shall  end  ?  God 
grant  it,  for  his  mercy  and  his  truth's  sake. 

And  now,  brethren  and  friends,  we  commend  you  to  God 
and  ihe  Word  of  His  grace,  who  is  able  to  build  you  up, 
and  give  you  an  inheritance  among  them  who  are  sanctified. 

My  brother,  respected  and  beloved,  go  forth  yet  longer  to 
your  work  of  faith  and  labor  of  love,  until  the  even  of  life 


55 


shall  come.  May  you  yet  turn  many  unto  righteousness," 
who  shall  be  your  joy  and  crown  of  rejoicing  at_the  ap- 
pearing of  Jesus  Christ. 

The  President  then  announced  the  following  sen- 
timent :  — 

The  Sons  of  old  Rindge :  Many  have  distinguished  them- 
selves in  the  different  departments  of  life ;  wherever  they 
are,  they  will  always  meet  with  a  right  hearty  welcome  at 
the  old  homestead. 

Hon.  Marshall  P.  Wilder,  of  Dorchester,  Mass., 
a  native  of  Rindge,  was  called  upon  to  respond, 
and  addressed  the  audience  in  the  following  lan- 
guage. 

ADDRESS  OF  HON.  MARSHALL    P.  WILDER. 

MR.  PRESIDENT  :  —  I  thank  you  for  the  compliment  paid 
by  your  toast  to  the  sons  of  old  Rindge,  and  I  am  most 
happy  here  and  everywhere  to  respond  for  them  with  such 
ability  as  I  possess.  I  rejoice  in  the  privilege  of  being 
present  on  this  occasion ;  but  when  our  honored  pastor 
stated  that  forty  years  ago  I  acted  as  chorister  at  his  ordi- 
nation, I  felt  a  sensation  of  age  creeping  over  me ;  but  in 
the  presence  of  so  many  with  whom  I  was  acquainted  in 
youth  I  feel  that  I  still  belong  to  the  rising  generation. 
(Laughter.)  My  associations  and  recollections  of  this  good 
old  town  are  of  the  most  affectionate  and  interesting  char- 
acter. And  who  that  has  a  soul  within  him. can  forget  the 
place  of  his  birth,  the  home  of  his  childhood,  the  old  dis- 
trict school  where  he  learned  his  A  B  C,  the  church  where 
he  was  offered  at  the  baptismal  font,  or  the  consecrated 
ground  in  which  repose  the  loved  and  lost  ones  of  earth  ? 

But  I  must  not  mar  the  pleasure  of  this  occasion  by  this 
train  of  thought.  No',  rather  let  me  call  up  the  bright 


56 


Veminiscences  of  early  life.  Although  I  left  Rindge  at  the 
age  of  twenty-five,  I  can  remember  much  that  transpired 
before  that  time.  I  can  remember  the  old  school-house 
where  I  attended  when  I  was  but  four  years  old,  and  which, 
I  noticed  to-day  as  I  entered  the  village,  like  myself  had 
grown  a  little  gray  with  age.  This  school-house  stood  on 
the  common  directly  in  front  of  my  father's  dwelling,  the 
seats  facing  to  the  north,  and  I  can  distinctly  remember 
my  own  on  the  low  bench  for  the  small  boys.  Nor  have  I 
forgotten  a  certain  little  bunch  of  twigs,  resembling  a  bun- 
dle of  apple-grafts,  which  hung  behind  the  master's  desk, 
and  at  which  ever  and  anon  I  cast  an  anxious  glance.  I 
remember  well  the  new  school-house,  as  it  was  called,  which 
now  stands  at  the  foot  of  the  hill  east  of  us.  But  alas  ! 
this  too  has  been  whitened  with  the  snows  of  more  than 
fifty  winters.  It  was  here  that  I  was  first  taught  the  art  of 
writing.  The  first  copies  were  straight  marks,  then  came 
the  trammels,  then  the  pot-hooks,  and  when  I  had  learned 
to  make  that  mysterious  round  letter  that  has  no  beginning 
or  end,  I  felt  that  I  was  in  a  fair  way  to  become  an  accom- 
plished penman. 

Well,  Mr.  President,  here  was  laid  the  foundation  of 
what  little  education  I  possess.     In  truth,  Sir,  the  system 
of'  education  is  much  more  practical  now  than  in  those 
days.     Then  we  had  no  Colburn's  Arithmetics,  no  black- 
boards, and  but  few  of  the  aids  and  advantages  possessed 
by  the  present  generation.     I  don't  remember,  Sir,  that  I 
was  particularly  distinguished,  except  for  getting  my  lessons , 
in  double  quick  time,  and  of  course  rather  hastily.     I  be- 
lieve, however,  I  was  considered  a  pretty  good  arithmeti- 
cian, having  gone  through  Adams's  Arithmetic  three  times 
before  I  was  fourteen  years  of  age ;  but  I  strongly  suspect 
my  attainments  in  this  branch  were  much  like  those  of 
some  other  gentlemen  who  boast  of  having  gone  through 
college  ;  that  is,  gone  in  at  one  door  and  out  at  another ! 
Be  that  as  it  may,  I  have  a  vivid  recollection  of  my  trials 


57 


with  some  of  the  most  difficult  sums,  and  how,  if  I  could 
not  avail  myself  of  the  answer  from  my  neighbor's  slate, 
my  poor  head  and  patience  were  taxed  to  work  out  the 
result.  Ah,  Sir !  many  a  time  have  I  sympathized  deeply 
in  the  doggerel  rhyme :  — 

"  Multiplication  is  vexation, 

Division  is  as  bad  ; 
The  Rule  of  Three,  it  puzzles  me, 
And  Fractions  make  me  mad." 

And  then  came  the  Rule  of  Proportion ;  but  for  my 
life,  Sir,  I  never  could  see  any  beauty  in  its  proportions ; 
and  then  that  awful  Rule  of  Cube  Root,  —  of  the  philoso- 
phy of  whose  roots  I  knew  far  less  than  I  now  know  of  the 
physiology  of  the  roots  of  trees  and  plants. 

But,  Mr.  President,  there  was  one  exercise  of  which  I 
was  very  fond.  I  mean  the  Evening  Spelling  Matches, 
where  each  one  carried  his  tallow  candle  and  a  nice  white 
turnip  with  a  hole  in  the  centre  to  stick  his  candle  in ;  or 
if  the  turnip  was  forgotten,  how  we  melted  the  end  of  the 
candle  and  stuck  it  up  on  the  bench.  And  I  well  remem- 
ber, Sir,  that  when  I  was  captain  qf  a  class,  and  it  fell  to 
my  lot  to  make  the  first  choice,  I  had  far  more  anxiety  to 
select  the  prettiest  girl  in  the  school  to  stand  by  my  side 
than  for  her  particular  accomplishment  in  spelling. 

Well,  Sir,  here  I  finished  my  Common  School  education 
and  entered  upon  a  higher  course  of  study,  which  my  ven- 
erable father — God  be  thanked  that  he  is  spared  to  be  with 
us  to-day !  —  hoped  would  terminate  in  one  of  the  learned 
professions.  And,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  I  proceeded  so 
far  as  to  read  six  or  seven  books  of  the  JEneid  of  Virgil ; 
and  now,  lest  any  one  should  doubt  the  correctness  of  this 
statement,  I  will  attempt  to  construe  and  translate  a  line 
which  I  have  not  seen  since  that  time.  It  ran  thus :  — 

"  Musa,"  O  Muse  !  "  memora,"  declare ;  "  mihi,"  to  me ; 
"  causas,"  the  causes,  "quo  numine  laeso,"  —  Ah!  Mr. 
8 


58 


President,  my  memory  falters,  and  I  will  leave  it  to  these 
learned  divines  to  translate  the  three  last  words.  (Laugh- 
ter.) 

But  to  proceed.  My  father  soon  discovered  that  my  mind 
was  of  too  roving  a  character  to  be  confined  to  books,  and 
accordingly  gave  me  the  choice  of  preparing  for  college,  of 
entering  his  store,  or  of  working  on  the  farm.  I  chose  the 
latter,  it  being  the  most  congenial  to  my  natural  taste  ;  but 
it  was  not  long  before  my  assistance  was  demanded  in  the 
store,  and  hence  I  have  been  merchant  or  agriculturist  as 
time  and  circumstance  would  permit.  I  think,  however, 
I  can  truly  say,  that  from  the  day  when  my  sainted  mother 
first  took  me  into  the  garden  "  to  help  dress  and  keep  it," 
I  have  never  seen  the  time  when  I  did  not  love  the  cultiva- 
tion of  the  soil,  and  I  shall  never  cease  to  feel  that  a  part 
of  my  humble  mission  on  earth  is  to  promote  this  most  hon- 
orable and  useful  of  all  employments. 

Pardon  me,  Mr.  President,  and  ladies  and  gentlemen, 
for  further  allusion  to  myself,  for  I  have  come  to  the  old 
homestead  to  rejoice  with  you  and  to  ask  forgiveness  for 
the  errors  of  youth.  I  have  heard  it  reported  that  I  was  a 
wild  boy.  Be  that  as  it  may,  I  can  assure  you  that  I  have 
ever  since  been  WILDER.  I  have  heard  it  said  that  if  I  was 
not  guilty  of,  I  was  at  least  cognizant  of,  some  of  the  mis- 
demeanors which  occurred  here  while  I  was  a  boy.  To 
this,  Sir,  in  a  measure  I  plead  guilty.  But  while  I  ac- 
knowledge that  I  did  hear  the  crash  of  the  old  horse-sheds 
as  they  tumbled  over  upon  the  common  on  a  dark,  stormy 
Saturday  night,  I  do  solemnly  aver,  in  all  truth  and  hon- 
esty, that  I  had  no  part  or  lot  in  stealing  the  beehives  of 
Mr.  Morse,  or  shearing  the  horse  of  Dr.  Shurtleff,  nor  do  I 
to  this  day  know  who  the  rogues  were  !  (Laughterv) 

But,  Sir,  no  more  of  this.  I  have  undoubtedly  sowed  my 
share  of  wild  oats,  but,  thanks  to  affectionate  and  godly 
parents !  I  believe  very  few  of  them  have  ever  vegetated. 

Mr.  President,  I  have  spoken  enough  of  the  foibles  of 


59 


youth  and  of  the  school-house,  which  here,  as  in  other 
towns  of  our  blessed  New  England,  stands  in  public  esteem 
next  to  the  church.  But  to  you,  my  honored  Pastor,  I 
would  say,  your  name  and  profession  are  more  intimately 
associated  with  this  sanctuary  around  which  cluster  some 
of  the  most  precious  memories  of  my  childhood  and  youth. 
I  can  recollect  this  old  church  as  it  then  was,  with  its  high 
pulpit,  spacious  galleries,  and  its  square  pews  surmounted 
with  a  balustrade  and  rail,  and  how  terrified  I  was  if  by 
chance  I  turned  one  of  the  rounds  and  made  it  squeak,  lest 
it  should  have  disturbed  the  venerable  Deacon  Blake,  whose 
pew  was  between  that  of  my  father  and  the  sacred  desk  ; 
and  how  now  and  then,  in  time  of  service,  I  opened  one 
eye  and  looked  around  to  espy  the  handsomest  young  lady 
in  the  congregation,  and  that  here  it  was  my  eye  caught 
hers  who  became  my  first  love  and  the  wife  of  my  youth. 

Of  one  other  circumstance  I  have  been  reminded  to-day 
by  our  honored  Pastor,  namely,  that  forty  years  ago  this 
day  I  acted  as  chorister  at  his  ordination.  But,  Sir,  there 
are  some  here  whose  memory  runs  back  still  further.  There 
are  some  here  who  can  remember  that  I  was  installed  in 
that  office  when  I  was  but  eighteen  years  of  age.  Yes,  Sir, 
some  who  can  remember  when  I  played  the  big  fiddle,  and 
my  good  friend,  Mr.  Amos  Cutler,  played  so  dexterously 
the  little  fiddle ;  and  perhaps  our  Pastor  may  have  some 
painful  recollections  of  the  customs  of  that  time,  especially 
of  screwing  up  the  strings  and  thumbing  the  instruments 
during  the  last  part  of  prayer,  so  as  to  be  ready  to  com- 
mence our  part  as  soon  as  the  minister  had  finished  his. 

But,  Mr.  President,  to  be  more  serious,  I  am  most  happy 
to  be  here  to-day,  and  to  participate  in  the  pleasures  and 
privileges  of  this  occasion.  I  never  return  to  this  good  old 
town,  —  the  place  of  my  birth,  the  home  of  my  youth,  and 
in  whose  sacred  soil  repose  my  mother,  my  brother  and  sis- 
ters, the  wife  of  my  youth,  and  some  of  my  children,  —  but 
I  feel  sensations  which  no  language  can  describe.  I  never 


60 


revisit  this  ancient  town,  but  with  the  first  glimpse  of  her 
glorious  old  hills,  over  which  I  have  roamed  in  my  youth 
with  gun  and  fishing-rod,  my  soul  rises  with  the  inspi- 
ration of  the  scene,  and  I  almost  involuntary  exclaim, 
Thank  God,  I  am  with  you  once  again  ! 

"  I  feel  the  gales  that  from  ye  blow, 
A  momentary  bliss  bestow, 
As  waving  fresh  your  gladsome  wing, 
My  buoyant  soul  you  seem  to  soothe, 
And  redolent  with  scenes  of  youth, 
I  breathe  a  second  spring." 

One  word  more,  Mr.  President,  in  regard  to  the  day  and 
land  in  which  we  live,  and  I  have  done.  One  year  ago  we 
were  rejoicing  in  peace  and  prosperity.  Now  we  are  in  the 
midst  of  the  most  dreadful  civil  war  that  ever  cursed  the 
world,  the  natural  result  of  sectional  hatred  and  jealousy, 
and,  Sir,  I  feel  that  I  may  congratulate  your  honored  Pastor 
and  the  people  of  his  charge  that  he  has  never  fostered  this 
hatred  by  the  preaching  of  party  politics.  I  am  happy  in 
the  belief  that  his  heart  has  been  fixed  on  nobler  ends,  the 
union  of  the  whole  country,  and  the  spiritual  welfare  of 
his  particular  charge,  and  he  will  allow  me  to  say  that  I 
consider  his  example  worthy  of  universal  emulation. 

And  now,  Sir,  in  view  of  the  wonderful  progress  and 
prosperity  of  our  country,  who  can  look  back  to  the  past 
and  forward  to  the  future,  without  feeling  the  responsibil- 
ities which  rest  upon  us  as  American  citizens.  When  I 
consider  the  stupendous  proportions  of  our  country,  extend- 
ing from  ocean  to  ocean,  embracing  almost  every  variety  of 
soil  and  climate,  and  capable  of  producing  almost  all  the 
products  of  the  habitable  globe,  —  a  country  which,  before 
some  who  now  hear  me  shall  go  down  to  their  graves,  will 
contain  one  hundred  millions  of  souls,  —  a  country  whose 
thriving  cities  and  villages  rise  as  by  enchantment,  and  sud- 
denly surpass  in  arts,  commerce,  and  manufactures  the  most 
renowned  cities  of  the  Old  World,  —  a  country  whose  liter- 


61 


ary,  civil,  and  religious  institutions  are  the  admiration  of 
mankind,  —  a  country,  too,  whose  inhabitants  from  every 
part  of  the  globe  are  commingling  and  rapidly  assimilating 
into  a  race  far  more  powerful  than  any  that  has  preceded 
it,  —  I  cannot  but  feel  that  He  who  rules  in  mercy  as  well 
as  in  justice  has  a  more  important  mission  for  these  United 
States  to  perform  than  for  any  other  nation,  and  that  he 
will  bring  us  out  of  the  trials  through  which  we  are  pass- 
ing, and  make  us  a  wiser  and  a  better  people ;  that  he  will 
preserve  the  Union  of  these  States,  and  make  us  one  in 
interest,  one  in  inheritance,  and  one  in  glorious  destiny. 

Let  us  then  be  faithful  to  our  high  and  glorious  trust. 
Let  us  stand  by  and  sustain  the  government  with  every 
means  in  our  power.  Let  us  stand  by  the  flag  of  our 
Union,  and  for  every  one  that  has  been  struck  down  by  our 
enemies,  a  thousand  shall  rise  in  its  stead,  and  the  red, 
white,  and  blue,  like  the  flowers  of  the  field,  blossom  again 
from  one  end  of  our  land  to  the  other. 

The  next  sentiment  was, — 

Rev.  Samuel  Lee,  of  New  Ipswich:  Unlike  Samuel  of 
old,  it  is  not  necessary  to  call  upon  him  three  times,  but 
like  him,  always  ready  to  answer,  "Here  am  /." 


ADDRESS    OF    REV.    SAMUEL    LEE. 

MR.  PRESIDENT  :  —  Are  all  the  managers  of  this  celebra- 
tion enlisted  recruits  for  the  army  ?  I  should  infer  it ;  and 
that  the  particular  department  of  their  drill  at  present  is 
in  the  science  of  taking  by  surprise.  I  am  their  honored 
victim,  —  taken  perfectly  by  surprise.  And  what  shall  I 
say  ?  What  is  my  theme  ?  Myself.  And  that  is  very  gen- 
eral indeed,  —  a  centre  from  which  I  may  radiate  at  any 
conceivable  angle  to  a  circumference. 

It  might  seem  appropriate  to  talk  of  the  past;  and  I 


62 


have  thought  of  many  things  in  years  long  gone  by,  while 
I  have  listened  to  the  able  discourse  of  my  brother,  and 
to  the  remarks  of  my  friend  who  has  just  addressed  us. 
But  I  am  not  quite  old  enough  to  talk,  on  such  an  occa- 
sion as  this,  of  the  past.  I  am  not  yet  sixty  years  old, 
and  my  ministry  but  of  little  more  than  thirty  years.  Still 
I  remember  so  far  back  as  to  furnish  to  me  a  scene  very 
unlike  the  present.  And  I  have  to-day  gone  back  to  my 
childhood,  —  to  the  home  of  my  father,  and  the  employ- 
ments of  the  family.  I  remember  the  fire-place,  with  its 
high  wooden  mantle,  and  how  I  was  proud  when  I  could 
straighten  up  and  touch  it  with  the  top  of  my  head ;  — 
how  I  sat  in  the  fire-place,  i.  e.  within  the  jamb,  while 
others  were  seated  at  the  other  extreme,  and  between  us 
a  rousing  fire,  that  was  perhaps  heating  the  water  in  a 
four  or  six  pail  kettle  ;  —  and  how  I  could  look  up  and  see 
through  the  top  of  the  chimney,  the  stars  in  the  sky.  I 
remember  the  spinning-wheels  of  my  mother  and  sister,  — 
the  "  little  wheel "  and  the  "  great  wheel "  ;  the  loom  in 
which  the  yarn  produced  by  these  wheels  was  converted 
into  linen  and  woollen  cloth  to  be  worn  by  the  family.  I 
remember  the  school-house  of  that  same  period,  and  the 
church,  the  modes  of  travel,  &c.,  &c.  But  I  have  not 
time  to  do  justice  to  this  theme.  A  thousand  particulars 
must  be  enumerated  and  presented  each  in  contrast  with 
an  equal  number  of  the  elements  of  our  present  condition. 
And  besides,  as  I  have  said,  I  am  not  old  enough  to  talk 
of  the  past,  as  could  the  man  of  twenty  years  added  to 
mine. 

But  shall  I  talk  of  the  future  ?  Should  I  give  to  you 
the  real  utterances  of  my  inmost  soul,  my  voice  would 
not  exactly  harmonize  with  that  of  the  pulpit  to-day.  I 
have  less  of  reverence  for  the  past  than  my  good  brother 
whose  anniversary  we  are  celebrating.  I  am  —  God  grant 
I  may  never  be  any  other  —  a  man  of  PEOGRESS.  I  do  not 
believe  that  all  change  is  to  the  worse.  Much  of  the  meta- 


63 


physical  theology  and  much  of  the  exegesis  of  the  past 
can  no  more  go  into  the  future  than  can  the  agriculture 
and  the  mechanics  of  the  past.  I  have  no  veneration  for 
the  creeds  of  the  fathers.  I  believe,  with  Robinson,  of  Pil- 
grim celebrity,  that  there  is  more  light  yet  to  break  forth 
from  the  Bible.  No  ;  change  is  not  necessarily  for  the 
worse.  My  eye  rests  habitually  upon  a  blessed,  a  glorious 
future.  A  half-century  has  witnessed  a  wonderful  change, 
that  certainly  is  an  improvement.  And  yet  this  is  but 
a  beginning,  whose  consummation  shall  be  GLORY.  This 
my  philosophy  teaches,  this  my  Bible :  this  my  heart  feels 
must  be  true.  Nothing  else  will  satisfy  its  love  for  the 
Redeemer,  and  desire  that  he  should  be  glorified  by  re- 
sults worthy  of  Him  as  the  Divine  administrator  of  the 
plan  of  redemption.  Jesus  is  able  to  save  this  world,  and 
he  will  do  it  to  perfection. 

But  this  strain  is  not  exactly  appropriate  to  the  cir- 
cumstances in  which  I  am  speaking.  If  my  venerated 
brother  is  not  quite  as  hopeful  and  quite  as  progressive 
as  myself,  yet  we  agree  in  almost  everything  else.  I  have 
often  said  that  there  is  no  man  in  the  circle  of  my  ac- 
quaintance whose  theology  is  so  nearly  in  harmony  with 
my  own;  —  mine  metaphysical,  his  common-sense-ical, — 
and  the  former  finding  evidence  of  its  correctness  from 
its  harmony  with  the  latter.  And  a  ministry,  right  by  his 
side,  of  the  quarter  of  a  century,  has  had  the  effect  to 
bind  my  heart  very  closely  to  him.  We  have  had  some 
happy  experiences  together  in  our  labors  as  the  servants 
of  Jesus  Christ.  When  to-day  he  spoke  of  the  revival  of 
1842, 1  remembered,  with  a  degree  of  satisfaction  that  I 
cannot  tell,  the  fortnight  1  spent  with  him  in  that  pulpit 
above,  and  in  this  room  for  religious  conversation.  I  re- 
joice that  his  ministry  yet  lasts  on.  May  he  never  know 
what  is  my  experience  in  being  laid  aside  from  his  work 
while  yet  he  lives.  I  had  hoped  to  die  with  my  harness 
on.  May  he  die  thus.  May  he  never  know  what  it  is  to 


64 


live,  yet  live  without  an  OBJECT.  I  live  thus.  My  work 
of  life  is  done.  I  am  having  a  sort  of  day  of  judgment 
while  yet  in  the  body.  My  "  life  "  is  of  the  "  things  that 
were  "  and  seen  in  review.  I  rejoice  that  I  have  been  a 
minister.  As  furnishing  the  material  for  a  hopeful  future, 
no  conceivable  earthly  state  can  for  a  moment  compare 
with  it.  I  had  rather  go  to  heaven  from  the  pulpit  than 
from  the  throne,  —  0  infinitely  rather  ! 

But  I  am  talking  too  long.  You  gave  me,  Mr.  Presi- 
dent, myself  as  my  theme  ;  —  myself  of  course  as  a  la- 
borer by  the  side  of  your  Pastor,  and  I  have  talked  about 
myself  as  such.  Long  may  that  Pastor  live,  and  gather 
yet  greater  multitudes  to  Christ  before  be  shall  be  called 
hence. 

The  President  announced  as  the  next  sentiment, — 

The  Clergy  of  Massachusetts :  Unsurpassed  for  educa- 
tion, intelligence,  and  efficiency  ;  they  are  always  welcome 
to  the  old  Granite  State. 

In  presenting  this  sentiment,  Mr.  Sherwin  made 
the  following  remarks :  — 

You  will  pardon  me  here,  ladies*  and*  gentlemen,  for 
stating,  that  a  few  years  since,  while  in  conversation  with  a 
Massachusetts  clergyman,  he  inquired  why  it  was  that  the 
good  'people  of  old  Rindge  were  so  well  iinited  in  politics 
and  religion  ?  I  answered  him  that  this  remarkable  una- 
nimity must  be  attributed  to  one  of  two  things.  Either 
the  people  were  consummately  ignorant,  and  knew  naught 
else  save  to  follow  in  the  wake  of  their  fathers,  or  else 
they  were  tolerably  intelligent,  and  so  well  "  booked  up," 
that  they  were  not  to  be  duped  by  the  doctrines  and  isms 
of  modern  times. 

I  perceive  that  the  same  clergyman  with  whom  I  had 
this  conversation  is  present  on  this  occasion,  and  I  call 


65 


upon  him  to  respond  to  the  sentiment,  and  also,  if  he 
pleases,  to  settle  the  question  before  a  Rindge  audience 
to-day  to  which  of  the  two  propositions  the  unanimity  of 
our  people  is  attributed,  and  in  settling  this  question  he 
will  also  settle  another;  he  will  furnish  the  reasons  why 
Dr.  Burnham  has  remained  with  us  so  long. 
I  call  upon  Rev.  A.  P.  Marvin,  of  Winchendon. 

• 

ADDRESS    OF    REV.    A.    P.   MARVIN. 

MR.  PRESIDENT  :  —  I  am  reminded  here  to-day  of  the 
fact  that  I  have  had  a  connection  —  a  slight  connection, 
perhaps  —  with  Rindge.  I  refer  to  the  days  of  my  youth, 
for  during  the  last  eighteen  years  my  intercourse  with  you 
has  been  frequent  and  agreeable.  It  has  been  stated  to-day, 
that  Dr.  Payson  had  two  sons,  who  were  ministers  of  the 
Gospel.  One  of  these  was  the  celebrated  Dr.  Edward  Pay- 
son,  of  Portland.  The  other  was  the  Rev.  Phillips  Payson, 
of  Leominster,  Mass.,  and  afterwards  of  North  Lyme  (now 
Lyme),  Conn.  While  there,  he  was  the  pastor  of  my  moth- 
er's family,  and  during  my  visits  at  home  I  often  heard 
him  preach,  and  I  learned  in  what  estimation  he  was  held 
by  the  people.  Through  him  some  of  that  influence  which 
the  elder  Dr.  Payson  exerted  so  powerfully  on  his  parish- 
ioners reached  me.  And  in  this  connection  it  may  be  grati- 
fying to  you  to  say  that  Mr.  Phillips  Payson  has  a  son  who 
is  now  a  very  promising  young  minister  in  the  city  of  New 
York,  and  a  voice  behind  me  says  that  two  others  of  his 
sons  are  in  a  course  of  preparation. 

But,  Sir,  I  was  called  up  by  a  sentiment  and  a  story. 
In  relation  to  the  sentiment,  while  I  am  not  worthy  to  rep- 
resent the  clergy  of  Massachusetts,  I  will  say,  in  their 
behalf,  that  this  tribute  of  respect  is  freely  bestowed  on 
your  venerated  Pastor,  who  completes  the  fortieth  year  of 
his  settled  ministry  to-day.  Though  he  has  not  courted 
publicity,  yet  he  has  not  lived  here  so  long,  and  pursued  a 


66 


career  so  useful,  without  becoming  extensively  known,  and 
securing  the  high  regard  and  esteem  of  his  brethren  in  the 
ministry.  In  their  name,  I  now  offer  the  due  meed  of 
respect  and  reverence  to  Father  Buruham.  It  is  true  that 
he,  some  years  since,  almost  reproved  me  for  styling  him 
"  father,"  yet  it  seems  to  me  that  there  is  a  manifest  pro- 
priety in  giving  one  who  has  become  a  Doctor  of  Divinity, 
and  has  a  good  right  to  the  degree,  and  who,  besides,  has 
been  settled  in  one  parish  during  forty  years,  that  ven- 
erable title.  In  these  years  I  have  not  seemed  to  myself 
to  grow  old  at  all,  while  he  has  been  assuming  the  double 
crown  of  age  and  of  honor.  Henceforth  he  is  to  me 
"  Father  Burnham." 

And  now,  to  the  story  of  the  worthy  President  of  the 
day.  It  seems  that  my  inquiries  about  the  unanimity  and 
stability  of  the  people  of  old  Rindge,  in  religious  and  polit- 
ical matters,  excited  the  suspicion  of  an  intention  on  my 
part  to  cast  a  slur  on  this  good  old  town  ;  as  if  the  inhab- 
itants did  not  think  for  themselves,  but  were  under  the 
thraldom  of  leaders.  This,  according  to  my  recollection, 
must  have  been  an  entire  mistake.  The  thing  that  lay  in 
my  mind  was  just  what  we  are  commemorating  here  to-day. 
I  had  reference  to  the  long  and  able  ministry  of  Dr.  Pay- 
son  and  his  successor,  and  to  the  influence  flowing  there- 
from, in  securing  stability  of  character.  The  influence  of 
a  minister  of  the  Gospel,  preaching  and  living  well  in 
such  a  place  as  this,  during  a  long  course  of  years,  is  pow- 
erful for  good.  And  the  man  who  can  retain  his  position 
twenty,  thirty,  forty  years,  in  these  changing  times,  must 
have  peculiar  qualifications.  In  the  last  century,  ministers 
were  settled  with  the  expectation  that  they  would  remain 
"  during  good  behavior,"  or  to  the  close  of  life  ;  yet  even 
then  there  were  many  brief  pastorates,  and  a  man  could 
not  retain  his  hold  on  the  people  unless  he  was  a  man  of 
estimable  qualities.  But  in  these  days,  when  parishes  are 
restless,  and  when  they  all  desire  the  most  eloquent  and 


67 


popular  preacher  in  the  land,  and  when,  moreover,  great 
questions  are  agitating  the  country,  no  man  can  remain 
forty  years  in  connection  with  the  same  church  and  society 
unless  he  is  well  qualified  for  the  duties  of  his  high  office. 
For,  be  assured,  this  position  cannot  be  retained  by  artifice, 
by  trimming  the  sails  to  catch  the  popular  breeze,  nor  by 
anything  except  substantial  merit.    It  requires  piety,  discre- 
tion, fidelity  in   the   performance   of  duty,  good  temper, 
sympathy  with  the  people  in  all  their  joys  and  sorrows,  and 
common  sense,  which,  when  bestowed  in  large  measure,  is 
one  of  the  rarest  gifts  ever  conferred  by  the  Almighty  on 
the  children  of  men.     As  these  are  the  characteristics  of 
your  Pastor,  we  know  why  —  the  Lord  helping  him  —  he 
has  continued  to  enjoy  your  confidence  and  affection.    And 
I  may  add,  that  he  knows  how  to  keep  up  with  the  times, 
and  in  this  regard  differs  from  many  men  in  every  profes- 
sion and  pursuit,  who,  by  clinging  blindly  to  the  worn-out 
past,  are  left  as  wrecks  on  the  bank  of  the  stream  of  life. 
And  here  it  occurs  to  me  to  express  the  gratification  I  feel 
at  finding  myself  in  such  near  accord  with  your  hoaored 
Pastor  on  the  great  exciting  questions  of  the  day.     I  have 
a  suspicion  that  you,  in  your  conservative  wisdom,  used  to 
look  on  me  as  a  rather  "  fast  young  man,"  in  relation  to 
slavery  and  kindred  subjects.     Now,  I  am  quite  willing  to 
confess  that  I  have  always  believed  slavery  to  be  the  great 
sin  and  curse  of  the  land,  and  have  been  in  favor  of  all 
judicious  efforts  for  its  speedy  overthrow.     It  is  now  seen 
to  be  the  cause  of  this  wicked  rebellion,  which  is  rending 
our  country,  and  calling  us  to  give  up  our  dear  friends,  by 
hundreds  of  thousands,  who  have  gone,  and  are  going,  to 
the  tented  field.     And  we  all  feel  that  the  cause  of  the 
rebellion  must  be  put  away,  else  we  shall  leave  a  heritage 
of  blood  to  our  children,  increasing  from  year  to  year,  in 
compound  ratio.     In  regard  to  these  things,  Kludge  and 
Winchendon   are   in   happy  agreement.     They  think   the 
same  and  feel  the   same   concerning   the   republic.     And 


68 


when,  not  long  ago,  your  minister  preached  on  the  war,  in 
rny  pulpit,  and,  while  showing  the  necessity  we  are  under 
of  putting  down  the  traitors,  he  doubled  up  his  fist,  and 
inquired,  what  the  Lord  had  given  it  to  us  for,  unless  to 
use  in  case  of  emergency,  my  people  felt  sure  that  he  was 
quite  up  to  the  times !  And  it  is  worthy  of  note,  that  you 
were  disappointed  in  me  on  that  day,  because  there  was  no 
allusion  in  my  preaching  to  the  political  events  of  the  day. 
You  were,  perforce,  obliged  to  listen  to  what  are  some- 
times called  regular  "  Gospel  sermons,"  since  I  rarely 
allude  to  political  affairs  in  my  Sabbath  services,  while  at 
the  very  time,  my  people  were  listening  with  interest  to 
your  minister,  as  he  exposed  the  wickedness  of  the  rebel- 
lion, and  denounced  the  leading  rebels.  This,  Sir,  may  not 
be  what  is  sometimes  reprobated  as  "  political  preaching," 
but  it  sounds  to  me  a  little  like  the  politics  of  war.  And 
now,  Sir,  are  we  square  in  regard  to  our  part  of  the  con- 
versation to  which  you  alluded  when  introducing  me  to 
this  assembly  ? 

Passing  this  topic,  it  is  but  fair  to  add,  that  the  minister 
does  not  deserve  all  the  credit,  when  the  pastoral  relation 
has  been  permanent.  There  have  been  many  ministers, 
who  were  amply  endowed  for  the  work,  and  yet  have  not 
been  able  to  remain  forty,  or  twenty,  or  five  years,  in  some 
places,  because  the  people  were  not  able  to  appreciate  them, 
nor  to  estimate  the  value  of  a  long  pastorate.  It  is  your 
distinction  that  you  have  been  above  such  folly,  and  you 
now  reap  the  advantages  that  flow  from  the  continuous 
labors  of  one  who  has  known  how  to  care  for  your  estate, 
and  has  loved  to  labor  for  souls  as  one  that  must  give  ac- 
count. I  have  alluded  to  your  Pastor's  labors,  and  to  your 
appreciation  of  them ;  and  here  let  me  raise  the  question, 
whether  it  would  not  be  well  for  you  to  give  him  still  more 
employment.  This  is  indeed  a  delicate  subject.  It  may 
seem  strange  that  I,  who  do  not  appear  to  be  worn  down 
with  toil,  —  certainly  am  not  in  the  "  lean  and  slippered 


69 


pantaloon,"  —  should  stir  you  up  to  increase  your  minis- 
ter's duties.  It  was  stated,  as  you  recollect,  in  his  admira- 
ble sermon  this  morning,  that  he  received  all  his  salary  on 
the  appointed  day,  and  that  he  had  nothing  to  do  about  it, 
except  to  sign  the  receipt  and  spend  the  money,  —  four  hun- 
dred dollars.  Now  the  question  in  this  connection  is, 
whether  it  would  not  have  a  healthy  influence  if  you 
should  give  him  a  little  more  to  do  ?  But  that  question  is 
left  for  you  to  decide. 

In  such  a  gathering  as  this  I  realize  the  force  of  an  old 
truth,  more  vividly  than  ever  before.  Reference  is  had  to 
the  power  of  a  minister  for  good,  when  he  is  faithful  to  his 
trust.  This  point  has  been  so  well  treated  by  one  who  has 
preceded  me,  that  I  will  refer  to  it  with  brevity.  Some  one 
has  said,  that  when  a  bright,  sensible  girl  is  married  into  a 
family,  she  will  keep  fools  out  of  it  for  several  generations. 
The  same  is  true  of  a  parish,  when  it  forms  a  connection 
with  an  intelligent,  clear-headed  minister.  Under  his 
preaching,  and  his  general  influence  in  schools  and  in 
society,  the  young  people  will  come  forward  with  sound 
minds,  and  before  his  cultivated  intellect  nonsense  and 
foolish  isms  will  flee  away  as  fog  before  the  sun.  A  single 
illustration  shall  convey  all  1  have  to  say  on  this  point. 
Suppose,  Sir,  this  house  should  be  closed,  the  minister  dis- 
missed, and  the  church  disbanded.  Let  there  be  no  evan- 
gelical preaching  in  the  town.  What  would  be  the  result  ? 
In  a  generation,  the  moral  and  pious  people  would  die  or 
move  away.  Few  good  people  would  grow  up  here,  and 
they  would  seek  a  home  elsewhere.  Vices  of  every  kind 
and  degree  would  become  common.  In  the  mean  time  the 
ignorant  and  depraved  in  neighboring  towns  would  flow  in 
hither,  as  if  drawn  by  a  sort  of  moral,  or  rather  immoral, 
gravitation,  until  all  religious,  moral,  and  even  decent  peo- 
ple would  avoid  it  as  they  would  a  pestilence.  The  agency 
that  prevents  such  results,  and  produces  those  that  are  just 
opposite,  is  unsurpassed  in  usefulness. 


70 


I  will  add  but  another  remark.  We  see,  in  such  a  scene 
as  this,  how  a  minister  is  linked  into  the  affections  of  his 
people.  He  is  with  them  in  their  most  joyous,  their  sad- 
dest, and  their  holiest  seasons.  The  orange-blossom  and 
the  waving  willow  are  associated  with  him  in  the  hearts  of 
those  whom  wedded  love  has  made  happy,  and  of  those  who 
have  been  led  by  him  to  feel  that  God  loveth  whom  he 
chasteneth.  He  is  also  enshrined  in  the  hearts  of  those 
whom  he  has  led  to  the  Saviour  and  welcomed  to  the  table 
of  the  Lord.  Thus  the  tendrils  of  sacred  affection  are 
thrown  around  him,  and  when  he  is  called  up,  many  hearts 
follow  him  to  the  skies.  It  is  my  fervent  wish  and  hope, 
that  when,  late  hereafter,  your  loved  and  venerated  Pastor 
shall  return  to  Heaven,  he  may  be  blessed  with  the  assur- 
ance that  he  will  be  followed,  not  only  by  those  who  are 
now  pursuing  the  strait  and  narrow  path,  but  by  many 
others  also,  who  shall  yet  be  gathered  into  the  fold  of  the 
Good  Shepherd. 

The  President  announced  as  the  next  sentiment, — 

The  young  Clergymen  of  New  Hampshire :  May  they 
prove  as  efficient  in  their  mission  as  their  predecessors. 

Rev.  W.  L.  Gaylord,  of  Fitzwilliam,  was  called 
upon  to  respond  to  this  sentiment. 

ADDRESS    OF    REV.    W.    L.    GAYLORD. 

MR.  CHAIRMAN  :  —  The  gentleman  who  preceded  me  has 
explained  the  principle  upon  which  we  who  were  not 
advertised  to  speak  on  this  occasion  are  called  out  so 
satisfactorily,  that  nothing  further  remains  to  be  said  on 
that  point. 

Perhaps,  Sir,  I  am  requested  to  respond  to  the  sentiment 
which  you  have  just  read,  for  the  reason  that,  in  this  assem- 


bly,  convened  to  honor,  on  the  fortieth  anniversary  of  his 
pastorate  over  this  people,  one  of  the  oldest  ministers  in 
this  State,  I  stand  as  the  youngest  ordained  clergyman 
of  this  section  of  the  State  ;  or  it  may  be  that  while  these 
venerable  fathers,  whom  we  delight  to-day  and  always  to 
honor,  have  told  us  of  what  they  have  done,  and  these 
brethren  in  the  scenes  and  activities  of  midday  life  tell  us 
of  what  they  are  doing,  I  am  before  you  the  representative 
of  that  class  who  are  just  entering  and  looking  out  upon 
the  field  before  us,  but  who,  having  done  but  little  as  yet, 
have  nothing  to  tell  you  about  but  our  expectations  and 
our  faith  in  the  future,  with  the  inspiring  example  of  these 
fathers  and  brethren  before  us. 

I  count  it,  Sir,  one  of  the  highest  privileges  of  my  inter- 
course with  these  reverend  and  venerated  brethren,  and  of 
my  life,  to  be  permitted  to  speak  congratulatory  words  to 
them,  and  to  this  assembly  to-day  ;  and  as  they  have  led  us 
back,  in  memory,  along  the  history  of  past  generations, 
since  they  were  young  like  those  in  whose  name  I  address 
you,  I  have  felt  that  my  feet  pressed  hallowed  ground,  and 
that  a  holy  Presence  was  making  sacred  and  forever  em- 
balming this  hour  and  this  scene  in  our  hearts. 

As  I  came  hither  this  morning,  my  mind  attempted  to 
grasp  the  fact,  and  to  review  in  imagination  the  history  of 
a  pastorate  of  forty  years'  length.  I  attempted  to  measure 
the  aggregate  of  ministerial  labor  that  had  been  performed 
in  that  time ;  the  hopes  that  had  been  awakened,  to  be  re- 
alized in  present  fruition,  or  only  to  be  crushed  in  the  bud. 
Joys  came  flitting  by  and  lighted  up  the  scene,  and  anon 
clouds  of  sorrow  came,  darkening  the  sky  and  shedding 
gloom  around.  It  was  a  checkered  scene  that  seemed  to 
pass  before  me  in  that  momentary  and  imaginary  rcviewal, 
but  amid  it  all  I  thought  I  saw  the  angel  Hope  winging  her 
way  heavenward  and  beckoning  the  humble  laborer  in  his 
Divine  Master's  vineyard  to  follow  her,  with  his  eye  fixed 
on  the  Day-Star,  while  Faith  walked  ever  by  his  side  and 


72 


chanted  to  his  often  troubled,  yet  often  entranced » spirit, 
"  The  Lord  is  my  shepherd,  I  shall  not  want" 

But  it  is  impossible  for  me  now  in  words,  as  it  was  then 
in  thought,  to  present  anything  like  an  adequate  view  of 
the  history  of  a  pastoral  relation  extending  over  a  period 
of  so  many  years. 

Could  our  revered  father  in  the  ministry,  whose  festal 
day  brings  us  together  here,  have  had  prophetic  vision 
given  him  when,  on  this  day  forty  years  ago,  he  gave  him- 
self to  this  church  and  people,  to  be  to  them  a  "  servant  for 
Christ's  sake " ;  could  he  have  looked  down  along  these 
many  years  that  have  passed,  and  seen  and  known  all  the 
toils,  the  sacrifices,  the  trials  that  awaited  him,  though 
the  path  should  seem,  even  then,  to  be  radiant  with  joys 
and  blessings,  I  think  that  he  would  have  been  overwhelmed 
with  the  magnitude  of  the  work  before  him,  and  would 
have  felt  that,  unless  the  Eternal  Presence  should  be  with 
him,  he  could  not  go  forward. 

The  young  clergy  of  New  Hampshire  desire  to  emulate 
the  example  of  the  fathers  who  have  spoken  to  us  to-day, 
that,  like  them,  by  "  making  full  proof  of  our  ministry," 
we  may  hereafter  look  back  upon  a  well-fought  conflict  of 
faith,  and  forward  to  an  imperishable  "  crown  of  right- 
eousness" in  store  for  us. 

The  reminiscences  of  the  past  —  the  whole  history  of 
other  generations  as  it  has  been  reviewed  by  honored  lips 
to-day  —  shall  incite  us  to  renewed  diligence  and  faithful- 
ness in  our  divine  calling. 

The  lives  of  these  revered  fathers  are  to  us  the  golden 
links  uniting  us  by  their  history  with  the  past,  —  and  by 
the  inspiration  of  their  example,  the  support  of  their  ap- 
proval, and  the  wisdom  of  their  counsel,  to  an  active  and 
hopeful  future,  and  hereafter  to  a  glorious  and  triumphant 
revelation  in  the  presence  of  the  Anointed  One,  by  whose 
commission  we  go  forth  to  "  preach  the  Gospel  of  peace 
and  good- will  to  men." 


In  closing,  permit  me  to  offer  to  you,  my  beloved,  and  in 
a  special  sense,  my  honored  father  in  the  ministry,  —  to 
these  other  fathers  and  brethren,  —  to  you,  Mr.  Chairman, 
—  to  this  church  and  congregation,  and  to  all  assembled 
here  to-day,  —  my  most  hearty  congratulations  upon  this 
auspicious  day  and  event,  and  to  thank  you,  Sir,  for  the 
honor  of  being  invited  to  speak  on  this  occasion. 

The  next  sentiment  was, — 

Our  Guests  from  Abroad:  Rindge  extends  a  cordial  wel- 
come to  those  who  honor  the  town  and  the  occasion  by 
their  presence. 

J.  Russell  Bradford,  Esq.,  of  Boston,  was  called 
upon  to  respond,  and  spoke  as  follows :  — 

ADDRESS    OF   J.    RUSSELL    BRADFORD,    ESQ. 

MB.  PRESIDENT:  —  It  appears  to  me,  notwithstanding  tho 
request  with  which  I  have  been  honored,  that  it  is  hardly 
right  for  me  to  occupy  a  moment's  time  upon  this  platform. 
This  is  a  day  when  the  first  church  in  Rindge  calls  her 
children  home ;  when  she  says  to  those  who,  having  been 
nourished  and  brought  up  in  her  bosom,  but  who  in  their 
youth  or  manhood,  or  womanhood,  have  gone  forth  to 
other  scenes  of  joy  or  sorrow,  "  Return,  come  yet  again 
and  let  us  together  hear  and  tell  of  former  days,  of  our 
early  recollections,  pastimes,  enjoyments,  hopes,  fears, 
trials,  and  sorrows."  But  in  all  these,  Sir,  a  stranger 
intermeddleth  not;  therefore  it  is  that  I  ought  not  to  be 
heard  to-day,  for  I  came  yesterday  for  the  first  time  among 
you,  an  entire  stranger,  without  even  an  acquaintance, 
excepting  your  honored  Pastor  and  his  family,  who  are,  I 
am  most  happy  to  say,  my  friends.  And  yet,  stranger 
though  he  be,  no  one  can  be  with  you  to-day,  participating 
10 


74 


in  its  enjoyments,  and  listening  as  we  have  done  to  the 
address  of  your  Pastor  as  he  has  recited  "  all  the  way  in 
which  the  Lord  has  led  you,"  without  rejoicing  with  you 
in  your  joy,  and  sympathizing  with  you,  to  some  extent  at 
least,  in  many  of  the  tender  and  hallowed  recollections  of 
the  past.  Most  sincerely  do  I  rejoice  with  you  that  your 
'beloved  Pastor  is  still  spared  in  health ;  that  he  has  been 
permitted  to-day  to  tell  of  the  mercies  of  the  Lord,  and  to 
acknowledge  the  helping  hand  of  God  in  all  his  ministry ; 
and  that,  still  pressing  forward  toward  the  prize  of  his 
high  calling,  he  loves  to  invite  you,  with  him,  to  run  with 
patience  the  race  that  is  set  before  you,  looking  unto  Jesus. 
And  I  also  rejoice  in  the  unanimity  and  Christian,  brotherly 
love  that  has  always  prevailed  among  you  and  still  con- 
tinues ;  in  your  reverence  for  the  good  old  truths,  so  pre- 
cious to  the  fathers,  in  which  you  are  strengthened,  settled, 
stablished ;  in  your  love  for  your  Pastor,  who  so  well  de- 
serves your  love  ;  in  the  prosperity  that  attends  you ;  in 
the  success  that  has  followed  the  efforts  here  put  forth  for 
the  spread  of  the  Gospel ;  and  in  the  souls  saved  through 
the  blessing  of  God  upon  the  preaching  of  the  Word.  No 
one  could  have  listened  to  the  discourse  of  the  morning 
without  gratitude  to  God  for  His  goodness  and  loving-kind- 
ness to  you  as  a  church  and  people,  and  none  should  ever 
forget  the  patient,  faithful,  self-denying  labors  of  him  who 
has,  in  season  and  out  of  season,  for  many  years,  ministered 
to  you  in  holy  things.  It  is  an  exceedingly  rare  thing,  in 
these  days  especially,  for  one  man  to  be  united  so  long  to 
one  people,  and  it  deserves  to  be  commemorated  as  it  is  by 
you  to-day.  May  it  long  be  remembered  as  a  season  of  joy 
and  gladness,  as  a  thanksgiving-day  among  you,  and  may 
the  Lord  continue  to  bless  the  dear  Pastor  and  his  people 
in  all  things. 

Mr.  Bradford's  remarks  concluded  the  exercises  of 
the  afternoon,  and  the  audience  adjourned  until 
evening. 


75 


EVENING. 

At  an  early  hour  the  Town  Hall  was  again  filled, 
and  the  exercises  commenced  with  the  singing  of 
Windham  by  the  whole  congregation,  led  by  Hon. 
Marshall  P.  Wilder,  who  conducted  the  singing  forty 
years  ago  that  day  at  the  ordination  of  Dr.  Burn- 
ham. 

The  first  sentiment  of  the  evening  was  then  read 
by  the  President. 

The  Clergy  and  the  War:  Always  faithful  to  preach 
"  Peace  and  good-will  to  men,"  they  do  not  forget  to  en- 
force the  text,  "  They  that  take  the  swqrd  shall  perish  by 
the  sword." 

This  was  responded  to  by  Eev.  J.  S.  Batchelder, 
of  Jaffrey,  N.  H. 

ADDRESS    OF    REV.    J.    S.    BATCHELDER. 

MB.  PRESIDENT  :  —  It  seems  that  I  am  the  first  to  have 
an  ambush  sprung  upon  me  this  evening.  The  first  inti- 
mation I  had  of  this  special  duty  was  in  being  asked  by  the 
chairman  a  few  moments  since,  "  if  I  believed  in  fighting  ? " 
Yes,  I  do  believe  in  fighting  to  preserve  our  government 
and  free  institutions  from  being  trampled  in  the  dust  by 
rebellion  and  treason.  I  believe  in  fighting  for  the  sake 
of  PEACE. 

While  we  who  are  appointed  ministers  of  the  Gospel  are 
to  preach  peace,  if  so  be  wicked  men  force  upon  us  the 
alternative  of  war  or  the  death  of  our  dear-bought  free- 
dom, then  we  cannot  do  otherwise  than  speak  and  pray 
for  the  sword. 


76 

For  this  occasion  I  would  adopt  Kossuth's  translation 
of  the  angels'  song,  viz. :  "  Good-will  on  earth  to  men  of 
peace." 

I  think  that  declaration,  "  They  that  take  the  sword  shall 
perish  by  the  sword,"  means,  —  They  that  take  the  sword 
in  an  evil  cause  shall  fall  by  the  sword  they  have  invoked. 
We  must  remember  to  modify  the  doctrines  of  peace  taught 
by  Christ  by  that  declaration,  —  "I  came  not  to  send  peace 
on  earth,  but  a  sword." 

That  which  is  a  peace  to  the  true  is  a  sword  to  the  false. 

There  is  good  reason  why  we  ministers  of  New  England 
should  not  shrink  from  this  contest  for  American  freedom. 
It  comes  from  the  blood  that  runs  in  our  veins.  We  have 
an  ancestry.  Are  we  now  to  prove  recreant  to  the  old 
Puritan  blood?  Shall  we  forget  Hampden  and  Sidney 
and  Vane,  and  Miles  Standish  and  his  stern  little  band, 
and  all  those  God-fearing  old  heroes  who  stepped  upon  the 
Plymouth  rock,  in  the  face  of  that  sharp  wintry  blast, 
when 

"  The  breaking  waves  dashed  high 

On  a  stern  and  rock-bound  coast, 
And  the  woods  against  a  stormy  sky 
Their  giant  branches'  tost "  ? 

Shall  we  hold  back  now,  and  make  it  true  that  the  blood 
of  our  fathers  was  spilled  on  the  ground  in  vain  ? 

Some  of  our  friends  are  in  the  habit  of  accusing  the 
New  England  ministers  of  having  brought  these  troubles 
on  the  country.  Very  well ;  admit  it  for  the  sake  of  the 
argument.  What  a  compliment  they  are  paying  us  !  They 
would  make  us  to  be  the  ruling  power  of  the  nation.  This 
is  far  more  honor  than  it  would  be  modest  in  us  to  claim. 
But  if  bravely  to  oppose  a  wrong  is  to  enrage  those  who 
uphold  the  wrong,  we  will  accept  the  charge.  If  we  have, 
by  God's  help,  brought  it  to  pass  that  this  nation  should 
not  be  bound  hand  and  foot,  and  laid  at  the  feet  of  the 
system  of  slavery,  we  glory  in  the  accusation. 


77 


I  do  not  believe  that  the  ministers  in  general  are  in  favor 
of  any  rash  proclamation  of  emancipation ;  but  we  mean 
to  labor  and  pray  that  the  power  of  slavery  may  be  forever 
broken  in  America.  Slavery  is  at  the  bottom  of  this  war, 
and  we  must  not  blink  the  fact. 

Let  me  say  of  our  reverend  father  here,  that  we  know  he 
is  "  equal  to  the  rebellion."  I  was  delighted  the  other  day, 
when  I  had  the  honor  of  an  exchange  with  him,  to  learn 
that,  as  brother  Marvin  says,  he  had  "  shaken  his  fist  "  in 
my  pulpit. 

Perhaps  he  has  not  coveted  the  honor  of  "  preaching 
politics  "  in  past  times.  Well,  "  better  late  than  never." 
We  now  welcome  him  to  the  ranks  of  true  political  preach- 
ers !  At  least  he  will  preach  politics  as  the  old  Quaker 
fought.  He  did  not  believe  in  war,  but  aiming  a  gun  in 
the  direction  of  a  rebel,  exclaimed  as  he  pulled,  —  "  Friend, 
thee  unfortunately  stands  where  I  am  just  going  to  shoot !  " 
There  is  no  doubt  that  Dr.  Burnham's  gun  went  off  in  the 
direction  of  the  rebels. 

I  cannot  sit  down,  Mr.  President,  without  an  expression 
of  my  own  personal  feelings  to  our  venerable  father  whom 
we  to-day  meet  to  honor.  I  shall  always  remember  him 
as  the  one  whose  hands  were  laid  on  my  head  when  I  was 
consecrated  to  the  ministry  of  Jesus.  That  consecrating 
prayer  will  ever  live  in  my  memory.  There  is  one  reason 
why  I  have  loved  him  ever  since  I  knew  him,  and  that  is,  I 
felt  that  he  had  a  heart ;  and  in  looking  for  the  reasons 
why  for  forty  years  he  has  maintained  an  unbroken  pastor- 
ate, I  find  them  not  only  in  his  ability  and  faithfulness  to 
the  truth,  but  in  the  fact  that  you  have  found  in  him  a 
sympathizing  friend.  While  he  has  been  a  minister  he  has 
not  forgotten  that  he  was  a  man.  Age  has  whitened  his 
head,  bat  his  heart  is  still  young.  If  it  be  a  sin  to  smile,  he 
has  many  such  sins  to  answer  for  in  us  all !  May  he  be  re- 
sponsible for  many  more  such  sins  while  God  shall  spare 
him  to  dwell  among  us. 


78 


Rev.  S.  W.  Brown,  of  Rindge,  then  responded  to 
the  following  sentiment :  — 

The  Clergy  of  New  England:  From  the  landing  of  the 
Pilgrims  to  the  present  hour,  faithful  to  their  duties,  their 
God,  and  their  country  ;  always  on  the  side  of  civil  and 
religious  liberty,  and  loving  peace  so  well  that  they  are 
ready  to  fight  for  it. 

ADDRESS    OF    REV.    S.    W.    BROWN. 

MR.  PRESIDENT,  AND  LADIES  AND  GENTLEMEN  :  —  One 
reason  that  the  powers  of  nature  make  so  little  impression 
upon  the  mind,  is  that  many  of  them  are  noiseless  in  their 
working,  though  capable  of  upheaving  continents  and  sub- 
merging islands  by  their  operation.  The  rill  that  pene- 
trates the  rocky  fissures  of  the  mountain-side  is  a  feeble 
power.  Yet  when  it  has  filled  the  cavity  and  congeals  in 
winter,  it  suffices  to  lift  the  huge  boulder  from  its  bed.  In 
the  mountain  showers  and  snows  which  percolate  the  upper 
strata  until  they  reach  the  compact  clay,  and  then  flow 
away  upon  it,  we  have  the  source  of  those  subterranean 
currents  which  shoot  forth  from  the  Artesian  wells,  some- 
times more  than  a  hundred  feet  in  height ;  or  burst  forth 
like  the  Colorado  or  San  Antonio,  large  streams  at  their 
very  sources. 

The  coral  insect,  which  builds  its  house  and  tomb  of  lime 
beneath  the  sea,  is  a  tiny  thing.  But,  though  so  insignifi- 
cant, these  zoophytes  form  the  substructure  of  those  circu- 
lar islands  of  the  Pacific,  large  enough  for  a  whole  fleet  to 
ride  at  anchor  within  their  enclosed  waters. 

Like  these  workings  of  nature  are  the  labors  of  a  faith- 
ful Christian  minister.  Quietly  he  performs  his  round  of 
duties.  But  his  labors  are  often  unappreciated,  because 
they  have  never  failed.  We  anticipate  his  weekly  in- 
structions and  pastoral  visits ;  we  expect  him  to  share 


79 


our  joy  at  the  baptismal  font  and  the  bridal  altar ;  we 
know  he  will  be  present  with  his  sympathy  in  our  cham- 
ber of  sickness,  and  bring  consolations  to  the  house  of 
mourning.  The  commonness  of  these  blessings  renders  us 
insensible  of  their  greatness.  It  is  well,  therefore,  to  com- 
memorate in  this  public  manner  a  day  which  reminds  us 
of  so  great  benefits. 

Delilah  said  to  Samson,  "  Tell  me  wherein  thy  great 
strength  lieth,  or  wherewith  thou  mightest  be  bound  to  af- 
flict thee."  The  discourse  to-day  has  revealed  the  secret 
of  our  nation's  power.  It  consists  in  the  vitality  of  the 
Gospel  truths  as  taught  and  exemplified  by  the  clergy.  As 
they  have  wrought  in  the  preacher's  own  heart,  they  have 
made  him  the  patron  and  friend  of  learning,  as  an  ele- 
ment in  human  progress.  Working  in  the  national  life, 
they  have  developed  the  individual,  yet  rendered  him  sub- 
missive to  law  ;  making  us  the  enigma  of  tyrants  and  the 
hope  of  the  oppressed. 

The  teachings  of  Puritan  clergymen  made  despotism 
impossible  in  England  in  1640.  They  were  germinant 
with  liberty  in  this  country  in  1776.  They  are  not  less  po- 
tent to-day,  in  nerving  our  people  to  crush  out  this  most 
wicked  and  gigantic  rebellion.  The  traitors  deemed  us 
bound  hand  and  foot,  when  they  had  rendered  bankrupt 
our  treasury,  stolen  our  arms,  and  dispersed  our  fleets. 
They  knew  not  the  genius  and  energy  of  a  loyal  people. 
They  had  never  considered  that  men  loving  freedom,  and 
animated  by  religion,  would  be  so  ready  to  present  their 
bodies  as  a  bulwark  to  the  foe  ;  that  a  people  animated  by 
Puritan  ideas  would  be  mightier  than  fleets  and  arma- 
ments. 

The  Micronesian  Islanders  when  offered  a  compass  as 
they  were  leaving  home  for  the  Sandwich  Islands,  a  voyage 
of  twelve  hundred  miles,  replied,  "  We  do  not  want  it ;  we 
have  the  compass  in  our  heads."  So  these  ideas  of  God  and 
of  liberty,  for  which  we  may  thank  the  clergy,  are  like  a 


80 


compass  in  the  head.  They  follow  our  people  in  their  wan- 
derings, making  the  settlements  of  the  wilderness  but  a 
miniature  New  England.  Our  citizens  advance  to  battle, 
not  fired  by  passion  which  will  consume  itself  by  its  vio- 
lence, but  animated  by  a  settled  purpose,  which  shines  in 
their  faces  and  strengthens  their  arms,  which  makes 
them  patient  in  labors,  fearless  in  conflict,  and  merciful  in 
victory.  Their  foes  see  this  resolution  in  their  counte- 
nances, and  it  is  no  wonder  that  they  cry,  We  may  as  well 
attempt  to  shake  Bunker  Hill  Monument  as  them. 

Those  Missourians  who  invaded  Iowa,  burned  the  church 
at  Denmark,  fired  the  academy,  and  declared  they  would 
hang  Father  Turner,  the  minister,  if  they  could  find  him, 
showed  a  clear  perception  of  the  sinews  of  our  strength. 
Before  the  rebels  can  hope  to  succeed,  they  must  deprive  us 
of  the  teachings  and  example  of  a  Christian  ministry  ;  and 
this  they  can  never  do.  God  has  here  planted  the  Church 
and  placed  the  ministry,  not  only  for  the  salvation  of  our 
own  nation,  but  that  he  may  use  our  land  as  a  seed-plot, 
from  which  the  plants  of  righteousness  may  be  transferred, 
to  bless  other  nations  of  the  earth. 

The  discourse  to-day  has  shown  us  how  the  clergy  are 
ready  to  make  sacrifices  for  the  cause  of  religion  and  edu- 
cation. We  followed  the  speaker,  as  he  showed  how  the 
Lord  had  helped  him  forty  years  in  the  ministry,  and 
thirty-five  in  labor  for  the  cause  of  education,  and  I  trust 
we  all  felt  that  there  was  evidence  of  self-denial. 

I  do  not  think  the  time  has  come  yet  when  the  minister 
is  required  to  fight  for  his  principles,  nor  is  it  likely  to 
while  free  men  rush  to  the  field  by  hundred  thousands,  to 
fight  for  the  Union,  the  Constitution,  and  the  Laws.  While 
such  a  spirit  animates  the  masses,  liberty  is  safe.  A  High- 
lander of  the  New  York  79th  Regiment,  who  lost  a  limb  at 
Bull  Run,  called  upon  Secretary  Cameron,  in  New  York 
City,  and  asked  that  he  might  be  accepted  to  serve  again 
upon  crutches,  as  he  was  ready  to  part  with  his  remaining 


81 


limb  for  his  country.  And  at  Ball's  Bluff,  the  sick  has- 
tened from  the  hospitals,  that  they  might  share  with  their 
comrades  in  the  glory  of  the  engagement. 

While  such  a  spirit  pervades  our  people,  the  clergy  can 
be  better  employed  even  than  in  fighting  for  our  liberties. 
When  other  defenders  are  wanting,  I  trust  the  clergy  will 
be  ready  to  fight. 

Samuel  L.  Wilder,  Esq.,  of  Kindge,  was  next  called 
upon  to  respond  to  the  following  sentiment :  — 

The  First  Congregational  Church  in  Rindge :  In  more 
senses  than  one  founded  upon  a  rock. 

ADDRESS   OF   SAMUEL  L.  WILDER,  ESQ. 

MR.-  PRESIDENT  :  —  It  is  with  no  little  hesitation  that  I 
rise  to  speak.  The  infirmities  necessarily  attendant  upon 
advanced  age  remind  me  that  the  scenes  of  public  life  are 
for  those  whose  heads  are  not  so  gray  as  mine.  Yet  I  may 
be  pardoned  for  saying  a  few  words  on  an  occasion  which  I 
have  enjoyed  with  my  whole  heart. 

In  the  Discourse  to  which  we  listened  in  the  morning, 
we  had  given  to  us,  and  very  properly  too,  all  necessary 
statistics  of  the  Society.  But  I  would  allude  to  the  fact 
that  it  was  the  first  organization  of  the  kind  in  the  State 
upon  the  voluntary  principle.  It  was  entered  upon  with 
much  anxiety  and  with  many  misgivings  on  the  part  of  the 
true  friends  of  the  cause  in  this  place  ;  but,  with  the  bless- 
ing of  God,  the  enterprise  was  crowned  with  success,  and 
to-day  we  realize  the  fruits  of  that  effort,  and  celebrate  its 
continuance  in  all  its  original  purity  of  faith  and  doctrine. 
The  permanency  of  the  ministry  in  this  town  has  been 
remarkable,  especially  when  compared  with  that  of  the 
neighboring  towns.  In  all  of  these  the  changes  have  been 
frequent  since  the  settlement  of  our  present  Pastor ;  and  it 
11 


82 


is  not  too  much  to  say,  that  our  own  present  prosperity, 
and  the  comparative  freedom  from  untoward  circumstances 
in  times  past,  is  in  no  small  degree  owing  to  the  uninter- 
rupted ministrations  of  the  Gospel. 

My  recollections  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Payson,  the  predecessor 
of  the  present  Pastor,  are  distinct.  I  sat  under  his  ministry 
for  more  than  twenty-five  years,  and  can  testify  to  his  faith- 
fulness and  the  deep  interest  he  felt  in  the  prosperity  of  his 
people,  even  to  the  last  days  of  his  life.  I  recall  an  inter- 
view had  with  him,  not  many  months,  and  perhaps  not 
many  weeks,  before  his  decease,  and  after  he  had  become 
both  physically  and  mentally  disqualified  to  perform  the 
duties  of  a  Pastor. 

It  is  known  to  this  audience  that  Dr.  Payson's  mind 
was  seriously  affected  for  some  time  previous  to  his  death. 
While  in  this  state,  I  was  often  invited  to  ride  with  him, 
and  upon  one  of  these  occasions  we  went  upon  horseback. 
After  leaving  his  dooryard,  some  time  elapsed  without  con- 
versation. At  length  he  broke  the  silence  by  saying,  that 
he  felt  a  degree  of  clearness  of  mind  that  morning,  which 
had  of  late  been  unusual  to  him ;  and  he  wished  to  improve 
the  opportunity  to  state  his  anxious  desire  that  measures 
should  be  adopted,  in  some  way,  for  continuing  the  minis- 
trations of  the  Gospel  to  the  people  of  his  charge.  This 
remark,  and  others  bearing  upon  the  same  subject,  which 
seemed  to  weigh  upon  his  mind,  were  uttered  with  such 
solemnity,  and  with  such  a  tone  of  deep  feeling  and  desire, 
that,  to  my  mind,  they  had  the  force  of  a  fervent  prayer  to 
which  he  could  take  no  denial.  Was  it  not  "  the  effectual, 
fervent  prayer  of  the  righteous  man  which  availeth  much"  ? 

These  desires  have  been  realized,  in  that  the  ordinances 
of  religion  have  been  continued  without  interruption  to  the 
present  hour ;  and  from  time  to  time  we  have  experienced 
refreshings  from  God's  presence,  thus  evincing  that  the 
Church  in  this  place  does  indeed  rest  upon  that  sure  foun- 
dation of  which  Jesus  Christ  himself  is  the  chief  corner- 


83 


stone,  elect  and  precious.  And  will  not  our  friends  from 
abroad,  present  on  this  occasion,  unite  with  us  in  invoking 
the  blessing  of  God  upon  this  Society,  and  in  praying 
for  the  perpetuity  of  our  religious  institutions  to  the  latest 
posterity  ? 

I  would  earnestly  exhort  our  own  people  to  value  more 
highly  the  blessings  with  which  we  are  favored,  not  only 
for  our  individual  good,  but  for  the  best  welfare  of  the  com- 
munity in  which  we  dwell.  No  permanent  good  can  be 
secured  without  some  sacrifice.  We  must  count  the  cost, 
the  labor  to  be  expended,  the  sacrifices  to  be  made.  We 
should  consider  the  shortness  of  life,  and  the  rewards  re- 
sulting from  a  life  of  obedience  to  the  will  of  God. 

Especially  would  I  urge  parents  to  train  up  their  children 
"  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord,"  so  that  when 
we  fail,  others  may  come  forward  to  fill  our  places  and  give 
support  to  the  ordinances  of  religion. 

Rev.  Z.  S.  Barstow,  D.  D.,  followed  Mr.  Wilder 
with  the  following  remarks :  — 

I  wish  to  testify,  Sir,  to  the  correctness  of  what  Mr. 
Wilder  has  said  in  regard  to  Dr.  Payson's  great  regard  to 
the  welfare  of  his  people  ;  and  also  to  say  that  when  I  com- 
menced my  pastorate,  I  felt  what  a  boon  it  was  to  be  able 
to  look  to  such  a  man  for  counsel,  to  receive  him  into  my 
family,  to  hear  his  chastened  wit  and  his  profound  theo- 
logical remarks  and  admonitions.  And  if  it  would  not  be 
thought  amiss,  I  would  like  here  to  say,  that  after  the  good 
Doctor's  death,  when  spending  a  Sabbath  in  Rindge,  I  took 
from  my  pocket  a  copy  of  the  Christian  Spectator,  then 
published  at  New  Haven,  and  read  the  short  obituary  of 
Dr.  Payson  to  his  venerable  widow.  Putting  her  trumpet 
to  her  ear,  she  listened  with  marked  attention,  and  occa- 
sionally suffusing  her  face  with  tears,  while  I  read  it.  At 
the  close,  she  said  with  much  emphasis :  "  I  wonder  how 
they  could  know  so  much  of  my  dear  husband  !  " 


84 


The  speaker  did  not  attempt  to  enlighten  her.  Nor  did 
he  ever  tell  who  wrote  that  obituary,  till  this  occasion  ! 

And,  Sir,  now  I  am  up  I  wish  to  testify  a  word  in  regard 
to  my  brother,  whose  fortieth  anniversary  we  now  celebrate. 
I  have  been  with  him  on  many  occasions  and  in  seasons  of 
great  trial,  and  mingled  my  tears  with  him  and  his  family 
in  their  afflictions,  when  death  came  up  into  their  windows, 
and  tore  away  those  promising'  and  beloved  daughters ! 
And  I  wish  to  testify  that  he  has  always  shown  a  commend- 
able, lovely,  and  Christian  spirit. 

Rev.  W.  L.  Gaylord,  of  Fitzwilliam,  said :  — 

Our  reverend  Pastor  has  spoken  of  his  obligations,  dur- 
ing his  long  pastorate,  to  those  who  have  conducted  the 
singing  in  the  house  of  public  worship.  We  are  happy 
to  acknowledge  to-day  our  gratitude  to  the  lady  (Miss 
Julia  E.  Houston,  of  Boston)  whose  beautiful  music  has 
added  so  much  to  the  interest  of  the  present  occasion. 
We  offer,  therefore,  the  following  sentiment :  — 

The  sweet  Singer  from  the  Bay  State :  We  shall  long 
remember  the  thrilling  tones  of  her  voice,  as  we  have  heard 
them  in  the  sacred  and  patriotic  songs  which  she  has  sung 
to-day.  May  the  pleasure  which  she  has  contributed  to 
this  festal  occasion  be  returned  to  her  in  tenfold  measure. 

Miss  Houston  responded  to  this  sentiment  with 
a  song. 

Rev.  Mr.  Copp,  pastor  of  the  Methodist  Church 
in  Rindge,  being  called  upon  by  the  President,  spoke 
as  follows. 

ADDRESS    OF    REV.   MR.    COPP. 

LADIES  AND  GENTLEMEN  :  —  What  kind  of  a  man  have 
you  here  for  a  President  ?  Since  he  this  morning  informed 
me  that  he  should  call  me  out  on  this  occasion,  I  have  re- 


85 


peatedly  entreated  him  not  to  do  so  ;  but  all  my  entreaties 
have  been  in  vain,  and  I  am  forced  to  come  to  the  painful 
conclusion  that  he  is  a  man  of  but  little  mercy.  Possibly 
a  further  acquaintance  may  lead  me  to  a  different  conclu- 
sion. I  never  did,  Sir,  like  speech-making ;  and  this  is  not 
the  worst  of  it,  I  fear  I  never  shall.  There  are  individuals 
—  quite  likely  they  are  present  —  who  take  a  supreme  de- 
light in  displaying  their  eloquence  on  all  possible  occasions, 
and  would  at  any  time  go  without  a  good  dinner  rather 
than  lose  the  privilege  of  making  a  speech.  But,  unfortu- 
nately for  myself  perhaps,  I  do  not  belong  to  this  class,  and 
would  go  without  half  a  dozen  good  dinners  rather  than  be 
called  upon  for  a  speech.  The  Indians  say,  "  Old  men  for 
counsel  and  young  men  for  war  "  ;  and  if  I  mistake  not, 
my  mother  used  to  say  to  me,  when  I  was  a  little  boy  and 
became  too  talkative  in  the  presence  of  older  people,  "  that 
little  folks  should  be  seen  and  not  heard."  Now  I  am  of 
this  opinion  to-night,  and  consequently  my  words  shall  be 
few. 

This  is  the  first  time  I  have  ever  had  an  opportunity 
of  attending  a  celebration  of  this  kind,  and,  indeed,  such 
celebrations  are  in  these  days  very  rare ;  for,  whether 
the  change  is  for  the  better  or  worse,  ministers  of  all  de- 
nominations are  now-a-days  very  migratory  in  their  habits. 
Where  one  pastor  remains  over  a  flock  forty  or  even  twenty 
years,  probably  ten  do  not  remain  even  five  years.  But, 
Sir,  this  occasion  has  been  to  me,  and  doubtless  to  all  pres- 
ent, one  of  interest.  I  was  pleased  with  the  discourse  to 
which  we  listened  this  morning,  and  which  was  prepared, 
no  doubt,  at  the  expense  of  much  time  and  labor. 

The  addresses,  also,  to  which  we  listened  this  afternoon 
were  excellent ;  and,  Sir,  permit  me  to  say  further,  that  the 
refreshments  so  bountifully  provided  by  the  ladies  for  this 
occasion  were  equally  excellent.  I  think  it  may  safely  be 
said  that  in  the  furnishing  of  a  table  the  good  ladies  of 
Rindge  are  not  to  be  surpassed.  I  said  1  was  pleased  with 


86 


the  discourse  this  morning.  I  was  not  only  pleased,  but  I 
felt  that  I  could  heartily  indorse  what  was  said  concerning 
the  general  good  character  of  the  people  of  this  town.  I 
am,  to  be  sure,  a  comparative  stranger  among  this  people, 
yet  I  have  been  here  long  enough  to  learn  that  there  are 
many  warm  and  liberal  hearts  in  Rindge.  As  I  have  visited 
among  the  people  I  have  sometimes,  when  it  has  been  con- 
venient, called  upon  families  belonging  to  Dr.  Burnham's 
congregation;  and  the  warm  shake  of  the  hand  and  the 
smiling  faces  with  which  I  have  everywhere  been  met,  have 
been  as  sunshine  in  my  pathway.  The  union  of  feeling 
which  exists  between  the  two  Societies  in  this  place  has 
done  very  much  toward  making  the  few  months  I  have 
spent  here  pleasant  months  both  to  me  and  mine.  The 
kindness  and  sympathy  manifested  in  my  behalf,  by  the 
people  of  Dr.  Burnham's  congregation  as  well  as  by  my 
own  people,  during  the  recent  severe  sickness  in  my  family, 
I  shall  not  soon  forget. 

The  aged  Pastor  whom  we  have  this  day  assembled  to 
honor,  by  the  kindness  and  respect  he  has  invariable  shown 
me,  has  also  won  my  esteem.  Indeed,  what  my  predecessor 
said  to  me  concerning  him,  I  can  to-night  say, "  He  has  been 
to  me  as  a  father."  May  Heaven  bless  him  and  his,  and 
may  he  for  ten  years  to  come  be  able  to  go  in  and  out  be- 
fore his  people  to  break  to  them  the  bread  of  life,  so  that 
on  the  fourteenth  of  November,  1871,  he  may  in  this  place 
be  honored  with  a  semi-centennial  celebration. 

The  following  original  Hymn,  written  by  W.  F. 
Somerby,  Esq.,  was  then  read. 

HYMN. 

"  Take  a  psalm,  and  bring  hither  the  timbrel,  the  pleasant  harp  with  the  psaltery." 

GENTLY  sweep  the  tuneful  lyre ; 

Let  each  heart  be  full  of  praise  ; 
Union  of  our  souls  inspire ! 

Each  with  love  your  voices  raise. 


87 

i 

Harps  of  hallowed  numbers  bring, 
Chiming  with  the  timbrel's  strain ; 

God  of  Love,  to  thee  we  sing, 
Thus  renew  our  love  again. 

Shepherd  of  this  social  fold, 

Twoscore  years  thy  prayer  hath  been, 
That  the  love  which  is  untold, 

Should  redeem  us  all  from  sin ; 

That  the  life  of  each  should  be 

Pure  as  the  example  set 
By  our  Lord  of  Calvary, 

Healer  of  Genesaret. 

Mem'ry,  with  its  spirit  chain, 
Links  us  to  companions  dear, 

Who,  too  pure  for  earth's  domain, 

Passed  to  heaven's  more  genial  sphere. 

Little  tufts  of  faded  earth 
Mark  the  spots  their  caskets  hold, 

But  their  spirits'  second  birth 
Blooms  like  roses  o'er  the  mould. 

As  the  sun  illumes  each  day, 
As  the  stars  adorn  the  night, 

Purer  shine,  O  genial  ray 
Of  a  union  still  more  bright ! 

Met  as  one,  in  mind  and  heart, 
Welcome  at  our  festive  shrine  ; 

Strike  the  timbrel  ere  we  part, 
To  the  praise  of  All  Divine  ! 

While  the  nation  wars  for  right, 

And  her  battle  bugles  ring, 
And  our  star-filled  emblem  bright, 

Waves  for  freedom  while  we  sing ; 

Peaceful  with  our  pastor  raise 

Song  and  prayer ;  our  land  shall  be 

Through  all  time  the  theme  of  praise,  — 
Home  of  peace  and  liberty  ! 


88 


Letters  were  then  read  from  various  gentlemen 
who  were  unable  to  be  present,  after  which  the 
President  called  upon  Mr.  Samuel  Burnham,  of  Bos- 
ton, son  of  the  Pastor,  to  address  the  meeting. 

ADDRESS  OF  MR.  SAMUEL  BURNHAM. 

MR.  PRESIDENT  :  —  Remarks  from  me  seem  superfluous, 
after  the  many  excellent  addresses  to  which  we  have  lis- 
tened during  the  day  and  evening;  and  following  in  the 
wake  of  the  large  vessels  which  have  ploughed  their  way 
over  this  sea  of  talk,  my  little  canoe  is  in  danger  of 
swamping. 

The  gentleman  who  immediately  preceded  me  (Rev.  Mr. 
Copp)  referred  to  an  adage  concerning  "  little  folks," 
which  applies  with  equal  force  to  me,  or,  as  some  one  has 
given  it  in  a  rhyme  which  occurs  to  me  at  the  instant :  — 

"  One  word  of  self,  if  you  will  please  excuse, 
There  was  a  phrase  my  mother  oft  did  use, 
The  pith  of  which,  if  not  the  very  word, 
Was,  '  Little  folks  be  seen,  but  seldom  heard  I ' 
Now,  of  the  many  things  I  failed  to  do, 
One  most  important  was,  I  never  grew 
To  manly  stature,  and  mamma's  old  adage 
Holds  just  as  true  as  when  I,  at  that  bad  age, 
Could  never  learn  fully  to  realize 
That  many  persons  pass  for  wondrous  wise, 
As  mighty  men,  and  men  of  great  ability, 
By  merely  bridling  tongues  from  volubility." 

Or  still  again,  a  moral  can  be  drawn  from  Holmes's 
couplet :  — 

"  Long  metre  answers  for  a  common  song, 
Though  common  metre  does  not  answer  long." 

But,  Sir,  as  in  times  past,  I  have  never  declined  speak- 
ing in  and  for  my  native  town,  or,  as  a  clergyman  of  this 


89 


vicinity  once  said,  "  in  the  place  of  my  former  nativity" 
so  now  I  gladly  accept  your  invitation,  so  far  as  to  say 
that  I  never  was  so  proud  of  old  Rindge  as  to-day.  And 
this  I  say  with  the  warmest  impulses  of  my  heart.  Proud 
of  my  native  town,  of  its  people,  of  its  Pastor  (even  though 
he  is  my  father),  of  the  fame  of  those  who  have  gone  out 
from  us,  of  the  intelligence,  enterprise,  and  thrift  of  those 
who  remain,  of  the  exercises  of  to-day,  and  of  the  honor- 
able record  of  the  past  to  which  we  have  listened ;  —  proud 
of  all  these,  and  of  a  thousand  other  things  which  come 
welling  up  in  the  soul  as  the  long  line  of  years  tells  its 
tale  of  the  past.  I  rejoice  to  stand  before  a  Rindge  audi- 
ence, and  tell  them,  as  a  son  of  the  town,  that  my  affec- 
tion for  the  "  old  homestead  "  was  never  so  strong  as  to- 
day ;  that  to-day  new  ties  of  love  have  been  formed,  and 
the  old  ones  all  strengthened. 

From  my  earliest  recollections,  even  from  the  time  when 
I  was  smaller  than  now,  (and  I  can  remember  that  "  day 
of  small  things ! ")  I  have  loved  my  native  town.  Thus 
taught  in  my  childhood,  and  with  nothing  but  pleasant 
associations  connected  with  all  the  people,  with  many  ties 
to  bind  my  heart  here,  absence  diminishes  not  my  love, 
and,  like  a  tired  bird,  I  often  am  glad  to  return  to  the  old 
nest  for  shelter  and  repose.  Your  hills  and  valleys,  rocks 
and  streams,  the  beautiful  ponds  that  make  your  landscape 
so  charming,  the  noble  mountains  on  every  side,  I  know 
them  all,  and  year  by  year  as  I  return,  they  seem  to  pos- 
sess new  attractions.  From  the  "Prophet's  Chamber,"  in 
the  old  Payson  mansion,  full  many  an  hour  have  I  gazed 
on  that  landscape  of  unsurpassed  beauty  which  stretches 
off  to  the  distant  horizon ;  familiar  indeed  to  you,  but 
which  I  claim  to  love  with  a  deeper  love,  as  I  can  see  it 
only  at  long  intervals.  Sitting  in  that  ancient  chair  in 
which  Dr.  Payson  once  wrote  his  sermons,  and  in  the  very 
room  where,  surrounded  by  the  minds  of  the  great  dead, 
he  studied  and  prayed,  I  have  looked  out  into  the  far 
12 


North,  away,  away  into  the  distance,  where  the  faint  out- 
line of  the  mountain  ranges  seemed  blending  into  the  pale 
blue  of  that  far-off  sky,  until  the  eye  grew  dim  with  seeing, 
and  the  soul  had  more  than  its  fulness  of  beauty.  How 
that  landscape  stretches  on  and  away  with  long  ranges  of 
billowy  hills,  and  intervening  valleys,  the  streams  glisten- 
ing like  silvery  threads,  the  white  villages  smiling  in  the 
sunlight,  the  lakes  sleeping  quietly  in  the  shadows  of  the 
dark  forests ;  on  and  on  stretches  the  glorious  scene,  and 
grander  and  grander  rise  heavenward  the  blue  mountains, 
until,  scores  of  miles  away,  Kearsarge,  and  a  long  range 
of  pale  blue  hills,  form  as  if  a  boundary-line  between  the 
present  and  the  future.  And  Monadnock,  noble  in  its 
isolated  grandeur,  rises  skyward,  our  pride  and  our  ad- 
miration ;  and  from  whose  summit, 

"  The  beauty  and  the  majesty  of  earth, 
Spread  wide  beneath,  shall  make  thee  to  forget 
The  steep  and  toilsome  way.     There,  as  thou  stand'st, 
The  haunts  of  men  below  thee,  and  around 
The  mountain  summits,  thy  expanding  heart 
Shall  feel  a  kindred  with  that  loftier  world 
To  which  thou  art  translated,  and  partake 
The  enlargement  of  thy  vision." 

And  from  the  eminence  just  west  of  us,  what  a  scene  of 
beauty  is  spread  out,  —  a  landscape  famous  through  all  the 
region ! 

"  The  hills, 

Rock-ribbed  and  ancient  as  the  sun,  —  the  vales 
Stretching  in  pensive  quietness  between  ; 
The  venerable  woods,  —  rivers  that  move 
In  majesty,  and  the  complaining  brooks 
That  make  the  meadows  green  " ; 

the  lake  that  rests  at  the  foot  of  Monadnock ;  the  villages 
that  sit  on  the  sunny  slopes, — all  unite  to  complete  this 
picture,  the  loveliest  of  all !  Yes,  all  these  I  know,  all 
these  I  love ! 


91 


But  I  was  not  to  make  an  address.  We  who  follow  the 
pen,  —  we  who  endeavor  with  a  modicum  of  brains  to  se- 
cure the  requisite  amount  of  "  bread  and  butter,"  —  we 
"  literary  men,"  —  are  not  speech-makers.  "  We  literary 
men,"  did  I  say  ?  It  is  told  of  a  young  unmarried  clergy- 
man in  the  vicinity  of  Boston,  that  "  once  on  a  time  "  he 
gave  an  address  before  a  Maternal  Association,  and,  becom- 
ing warmed  with  his  subject,  he  astonished  his  hearers  by 
commencing  an  impassioned  sentence  with,  "  We  who  are 
mothers  "  /  Perhaps  my  lapsus  linguce  is  not  quite  so  in- 
appropriate ;  yet  those  who  spend  their  time,  pen  in  hand, 
endeavoring  to  catch  and  "  fix  "  stray  ideas,  whether  "  lit- 
erary men  "  or  not,  are  out  of  their  proper  sphere  when 
upon  the  platform.  "  We  "  who  are  acquainted  with  such 
matters  feel  the  awkwardness  of  the  position,  and  can  pick 
some  grains  of  comfort  from  an  anecdote  told  of  a  New 
Hampshire  clergyman  of  "  ye  olden  time." 

It  is  well  known  to  this  audience,  and  especially  to  the 
clergymen  upon  this  platform,  that,  many  years  ago,  all 
Southern  New  Hampshire  was  kept  on  a  broad  grin  by  the 
jokes,  whims,  and  oddities  of  a  few  celebrated  clerical  wits. 
Anecdotes  of  Ainsworth,  of  Sprague,  (the  identical  man 
who  did,  in  fact,  pull  his  beans  and  re-set  them,  because  he 
supposed  they  were  coming  up  the  wrong  way  !)  of  Miles, 
of  Payson,  and  others,  will  never  die.  Some  one  behind 
me  adds  the  name  of  Sabin.  Thanks  for  the  suggestion,  as 
he  is  one  whom  I  remember.  Recollections  of  my  earliest 
childhood  bring  to  mind  his  bended  head,  and  his  long 
brown  surtout ;  and  I  never  hear  his  name  without  recall- 
ing a  little  incident  characteristic  of  the  man,  and  in  relat- 
ing it  I  trust  I  shall  not  lose  sight  of  the  anecdote  I  started 
upon  some  sentences  back. 

It  was  in  the  old  church  ;  and  Mr.  Sabin,  with  whom 
father  had  "  exchanged  "  that  Sabbath,  had  been  reading  a 
hymn,  and  it  was  a  very  long  one.  After  reading  it 
through,  he  looked  calmly  at  it  some  time,  and  then, 


92 


slowly  raising  his  head,  looked  at  the  choir  as  calmly ; 
again  he  looked  at  the  hymn,  and  again  to  the  choir,  and 
remarked,  "  Well,  I  guess  you  may  sing-  the  whole  of  it ; 
you  had  rather  sing-  than  hear  the  old  man  preach  "  / 

But  to  the  other  incident,  whose  practical  and  personal 
application,  like  to  that  of  a  sermon,  comes  at  the  close,  or 
just  after  "  Finally." 

It  is  told  of  one  of  these  ministers,  that,  before  studying 
for  the  clerical  profession,  he  had  given  some  attention  to 
medicine ;  and  he  lost  no  opportunity  for  displaying  his 
medical  knowledge,  thus  driving  a  double  team  of  theology 
and  medicine  whenever  occasion  offered.  One  Sabbath,  a 
request  for  prayers  for  a  sick  woman  was  sent  to  the  pulpit, 
as  was  customary  at  that  time,  and  is  now  in  many  country 
places.  This  was  an  opportunity  for  displaying  his  medical 
knowledge  not  to  be  lost  sight  of,  and  his  request  was 
worded  after  this  style  :  "  We  pray  thee,  0  Lord,  that  this 
woman,  thy  servant,  may  recover,  if  it  be  thy  will,  although 
we  who  are  acquainted  with  medical  matters  know  that  she 
cannot "  / 

Mr.  President,  "  we  who  are  acquainted  with  medical 
matters,"  or,  in  this  instance,  "  we  literary  men,"  feel  that 
we  must  be  known  by  the  pen  rather  than  the  tongue,  — 
that  platform-speaking  is  not  our  vocation.  It  was  not  my 
intention  to  make  an  address,  —  only  to  assure  you,  Sir, 
and  all  present,  of  the  great  enjoyment  I  have  taken  in  all 
the  exercises  of  the  day ;  of  the  great  pleasure  it  gives  me 
to  be  here,  and  to  be  one  of  your  number ;  and  of  my 
heartiest  wishes  for  the  continued  happiness  and  prosperity 
of  all  gathered  within  these  walls. 

The  President  then  announced  the  following  sen- 
timent :  — 

We  honor  the  good  women  of  olden  time,  and  rejoice 
that  they  have  worthy  successors  in  their  daughters. 

Rev.  A.  P.  Marvin,  of  Winchendon,  responded. 


93 


ADDRESS   OF    REV.   A.    P.    MARVIN. 

MR.  PRESIDENT  :  —  It  clearly  belongs  to  another  gentle- 
man to  respond  to  this  sentiment,  rather  than  to  me.  Has 
he  not  told  us  this  afternoon  how  devotional  he  used  to  be 
in  his  early  days  in  church  —  on  the  Sabbath  —  during 
prayer-time,  especially  when  he  ventured  to  look  out  of 
one  eye  at  the  prettiest  girl  in  the  meeting-house  ?  But  as 
the  duty  has  been  assigned  to  me  I  will  say  a  few  words, 
since  the  sentiment  is  so  true  and  so  well-deserved. 

We  honor  the  good  women  of  the  "  olden  time,"  —  of 
Puritan  and  Revolutionary  days.  Dr.  Beecher  once  said, 
that  if  he  were  invited  to  give  an  oration  on  the  4th  of 
July,  he  should  celebrate  the  virtues  of  the  "  foremothers," 
instead  of  the  forefathers.  The  latter,  he  said,  had  monop- 
olized all -the  glory  of  our  heroic  age,  although  their  moth- 
ers, wives,  and  daughters  had  endured  quite  as  much,  and 
evinced  at  least  equal  piety  and  heroism,  in  subduing  the 
wilderness,  and  securing  our  national  independence.  This 
is  unquestionably  true ;  for  though  woman  is  not  sum- 
moned into  the  field,  nor  exposed  to  the  hardships  of  the 
camp  and  the  mortal  strife  of  the  field  of  battle,  yet  she 
is  called  to  self-denial,  to  sorrow,  to  anxiety,  to  the  long 
agony  of  bereavement,  when  she  learns  that  the  idols  of 
her  heart  will  never  return  to  behold  home  and  friends  and 
native  land  again.  Our  mothers  deserve  honor,  and  they 
shall  receive  the  tribute  of  grateful  admiration  from  our 
hearts. 

But,  Sir,  it  is  our  double  felicity  to  have  worthy  succes- 
sors to  them  in  their  daughters.  Passing  events,  which 
call  into  exercise  not  only  the  patriotism  of  the  men,  but 
the  self-denial  of  the  women,  give  them  an  opportunity  to 
show  their  devotion  to  their  country  and  their  love  of 
freedom ;  and  most  nobly  have  they  responded  to  the  call. 
Some  appear  to  be  surprised  at  this,  as  if  they  supposed  all 
the  heroic  and  noble  in  woman  had  died  out  in  a  former 


94 


generation.     These  persons,  unlike  your  respected  minis- 
ter, who  keeps  abreast  of  the  times,  and  sees  good  in  the 
present  as  well  as  in  the  past,  resemble  the  Roman  poet's 
laudatores    temporis    acti,   and    always    tell  us   that  we 
have  degenerated  from  our  ancestors.     Nothing  is  so  good 
now  as  when  they  were  young.     Even  the  girls  are  not  so 
pretty  as  in  the  days  of  their  boyhood.     [Here  some  one 
said,  "That  is  so."]     Well,  Mr.  President,  as  to  that,  I 
am  inclined  to  think  that  the  girls  never  were  so  pretty  as 
about  sixteen  or  eighteen  years  ago ;   though  those  now 
coming  forward  are  promising.     But  as  I  was  saying,  Sir, 
this  war  gives  an  occasion  for  the  women  of  our  land  to 
vindicate  their  claims  to  historic  renown,  and  they  are  not 
found  wanting.     No  one  who  is  familiar  with  the  moving 
forces  of  society  ever  doubted  this.     It  is  true,  we  have 
some  "  Miss  Flora  McFlimseys,"  who,  tottering  along  un- 
der a  load  of  silks,   satins,  furs,  and  jewelry,   can  only 
sigh  out,  "  Nothing  to  wear  "  ;  but  these  pampered  butter- 
flies of  fashion  are  comparatively  few.     Our  countrywomen 
are  making  manifest  their  blood,  their  training,  their  spirit. 
They  are  not  called  into  the  "  imminent  deadly  breach  " ; 
they  are  not  called  to  endure  such  hardships  as  were  com- 
mon in  the  Revolution,  because  the  land  is  full  of  riches. 
Yet  they  are  busy  in  all  our  towns,  villages,  and  cities, 
working  for  the  benefit  of  the  soldiers.     And  what  is  more, 
they  are  ready  to  part  with  husband,  brother,  son,  arid 
friend,  when  they  go  forth  to  the  field  of  blood.     Even  the 
delicate  maiden  will  bind  the  sword  on  the  ruddy  youth, 
who  is  so  dear  to  her  that  she  can  hardly  bear  to  have  him 
out  of  her  sight,  and  bid  him  "  God-speed "  to  the  war. 
This  is  a  most  surprising  spectacle.    A  whole  people  have 
sprung  to  arms,  as  one  man,  and  all  are  moving  as  under 
one  impulse.  '  Men,  women,  and  children  are  swayed  by 
one  feeling ;   and  I  am  amazed   at  this  grand  uprising, 
which  has  no  parallel  in  all  history.     It  seems  as  if  our 
people  were  moved  by  the  inspiration  of  the  Almighty. 


95 


And  I  verily  believe  this  is  His  contest,  and  that  He  is 
sending  forth  our  men  in  such  numbers  for  the  purpose  of 
settling  forever  for  this  country  and  for  the  people  of  all 
countries  the  question  of  free  government.  In  this  wicked 
revolt,  which  is  a  war  of  anarchy  against  authority,  of  re- 
bellion against  good  government,  of  slavery  against  free- 
dom, of  despotism  against  civil  liberty,  and  of  a  religion  of 
caste  and  prejudice  against  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ,  — 
the  Lord  of  hosts,  I  cannot  doubt,  is  on  our  side.  And  in 
this  awful  struggle  we  have  the  support  of  the  daughters, 
as  our  fathers  were  cheered  and  animated  by  the  mothers 
in  the  "  brave  days  of  old." 

There  are,  however,  other  labors  and  other  scenes  besides 
those  connected  with  war,  which  call  out  the  sympathy  and 
the  active  support  of  woman.  These  spheres  of  activity 
demand  quite  as  much  of  self-denial,  of  piety,  and  of  endur- 
ance as  those  which  are  more  celebrated  in  history.  Every 
minister  knows  to  what  I  refer,  and  therefore  I  am  speak- 
ing of  what  is  pertinent  to  this  occasion.  Very  much  of 
the  power  of  the  ministry  and  of  the  Church  for  good  de- 
pends upon  the  devotedness  of  the  female  members.  Even 
the  pecuniary  support  is  supplied  by  them  to  a  considerable 
extent.  I  know  it  is  sometimes  said,  that  it  is  of  no  use  to 
ask  women  to  give,  for  it  all  comes  out  of  the  husband's 
pocket.  But  how  does  it  get  into  his  pocket  ?  Suppose  he 
should  keep  house  for  himself ;  that  he  should  be  destitute 
of  the  steadying  influence  of  home,  —  how  much  would 
he  have  to  give  ?  But  this  is  not  the  main  point.  The 
moral  and  religious  influence  of  woman  in  society  is  in- 
dispensable. She  brings  forward  the  young,  and  inclines 
them,  with  the  blessing  of  God,  to  walk  in  the  way  of  life. 
She  encourages  the  minister  in  times  of  darkness,  when  the 
"  ways  of  Zion  mourn  because  so  few  come  to  her  solemn 
feasts."  It  is  by  her  prayers  that  blessings  arc  called  down 
from  heaven  upon  his  soul.  No  man  can  come  before  an 
audience  week  after  week,  and  preach  unwelcome  truths, 


96 

unless  he  is  projected  forward  by  some  force  from  without. 
It  is  easy  to  speak  before'  a  lyceum,  where  all  have  come  to 
be  pleased.  It  is  pleasant  to  address  a  crowd  of  politi- 
cal sympathizers,  where  every  sentence  will  be  applauded. 
But  it  is  entirely  different  in  preaching  the  plain,  hum- 
bling doctrines  of  the  Gospel  to  those  who  are  unwilling  to 
be  told  of  their  guilt  and  danger.  What  can  induce  a  man 
to  be  faithful  in  the  utterance  of  such  truth  ?  Nothing  but 
the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  And  this  influence  comes 
in  answer  to  prayer.  And  it  is  by  prayer  that  the  sisters 
of  the  Church  do  so  much  to  uphold  the  minister's  hands 
and  strengthen  his  heart. 

And  here  it  will  not  be  out  of  place  to  say,  that  there  is 
another  class  of  women  who  do  much  to  promote  the  use- 
fulness of  ministers,  as  well  as  to  secure  the  permanency 
of  their  settlement ;  I  refer,  of  course,  to  the  wives  of  the 
clergy.  One  who  is  intelligent,  prudent,  pious,  free  from 
worldly  ambition  and  the  love  of  change,  and  who  besides 
knows  how  to  make  home  pleasant,  does  much  not  only  to 
keep  a  man  in  the  same  place,  but  to  keep  him  alive,  and 
to  make  him  useful  while  he  does  live.  In  this  regard,  I 
believe  that  the  ministry  have  been  generally  fortunate ;  or 
rather,  as  a  prudent  wife  is  from  the  Lord,  I  ought  rather 
to  say  that  they  have  been  the  favorites  of  Heaven.  And 
while  my  acquaintance  with  the  wives  of  the  younger  clergy 
in  this  vicinity  would  prompt  me  to  say,  "  Many  daughters 
have  done  virtuously,"  I  am  quite  sure  they  would  all  jus- 
tify me  in  turning  to  the  respected  wife  of  your  honored 
guest  to-day,  and  in  view  of  her  larger  experience  in  all 
the  sorrows  and  joys  of  home,  by  which  the  blossoms  of 
youth  have  been  ripened  into  the  fruits  of  mature  Chris- 
tian womanhood,  and  saying,  "  But  thou  excellest  them 
all."  This  occasion  unseals  my  lips,  and  I  am  glad  of  the 
opportunity  to  utter  what  else  might  remain  unspoken. 
For  ever  since  my  first  meeting  with  her,  some  seventeen 
years  since,  when  she  gave  me  an  account  of  the  departure 


97 


of  those  sainted  daughters,  —  one  of  whom  went  before  as 
a  happy  pioneer,  and  then  seemed  to  return  and  become 
visible,  through  the  parted  veil  which  divides  eternity  from 
time,  to  her  who  was  ready  to  follow,  —  who  had  for  so 
many  years  filled  the  parsonage  with  gladness,  and  caused 
the  hearts  of  parents  to  dance  with  joy  ;  ever  since  then,  I 
repeat,  all  my  thoughts  of  her  have  been  redolent  of  that 
first  interview.  That  bereavement  was  a  great  grief,  but 
it  was  attended  with  a  sacred  joy,  and  left  its  permanent 
stamp  on  the  soul.  And  this  reminds  me  of  the  power  of 
mothers  to  lead  their  children  to  the  Saviour,  and  so  to 
heaven.  In  a  recent  popular  and  much  admired  work,  an 
unhappy  mother  is  made  to  exclaim :  "  0,  my  wedding- 
day  !  Why  did  they  rejoice  ?  Brides  should  wear  mourn- 
ing ;  the  bells  should  toll  for  every  wedding ;  every  new 
family  is  built  over  this  awful  pit  of  despair,  and  only  one 
in  a  thousand  escapes."  This  is  all  wrong.  Every  bride 
should  rejoice.  Let  the  bells  ring  a  merry  peal,  for  Christ 
has  provided  for  the  salvation  of  every  child,  if  the  mother 
will  give  them  up  to  him,  and  train  them  for  his  service. 
He  will  take  them  in  his  arms  and  bless  them.  And  so 
every  Christian  mother,  whether  wife  or  widow,  whether 
married  or  alone,  like  the  good  old  Christiana  of  the  Pil- 
grim, can  take  all  her  flock  with  her  up  the  strait  but 
shining  way  that  leads  to  heaven. 

The  next  sentiment  was  : 

The  present  delightful  occasion  :  Fraught  with  deep  in- 
terest, as  furnishing  opportunity  for  friendly  reunion, — too 
pure  and  elevating  in  its  influence  to  find  full  expression 
in  the  language  of  earth,  —  may  it  be  but  a  foretaste  of  the 
blessed  reunion  and  fellowship  of  kindred  spirits  above, 
whose  triumphant  and  holy  joys  shall  find  perfect  expres- 
sion in  the  dialect  of  heaven. 

J.  Russell  Bradford,  Esq.,  of  Boston,  was  called 
upon  to  respond. 

13 


98 


ADDRESS    OF   J.    R.    BRADFORD,    ESQ. 

Permit  me,  Mr.  President,  and  ladies  and  gentlemen,  to 
say  a  few  words  in  response  to  the  sentiment  just  read. 
Surely  that  sentiment  merits  a  great  deal  of  thought, 
although  at  this  hour  but  very  little  of  our  time  can  be 
given  to  it.  The  question  must,  it  seems  to  me,  have  often 
arisen  in  our  minds  to-day,  Why  are  we  so  happy  here  ? 
Why  is  this  a  day  of  such  pure  and  unalloyed  enjoyment, 
notwithstanding  the  thoughts  of  sadness  that  must  have 
occasionally  crossed  the  hearts  of  nearly  all  present  ?  Why 
do  we  weep  when  others  weep,  while  we  rejoice  with  ex- 
ceeding joy  and  feel  that  our  hearts  are  full  of  sympathetic 
emotion  and  fraternal  love  ?  Our  beloved  friend,  your 
Pastor,  struck  the  key-note  this  morning  in  leading  us  to 
feel  that,  "  Hitherto  hath  the  Lord  helped  us,"  and  not 
only  hitherto,  but  now  it  is  the  Lord,  —  the  Lord,  His  good- 
ness, His  love,  that  visits  us  to  day,  and  causeth  us  to  sit 
together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus.  In  what  other 
assemblage  of  people  can  there  be  found  such  perfect  satis- 
faction, not  only  at  the  time,  but  when  afterwards  we  look 
back  upon  it,  as  when  Christians  meet  together 'to  recount 
"  the  mercies  of  God  in  all  the  way  in  which  he  has  led 
them,"  or  "  to  pray,  and  praise,  and  to  hear  his  word  "  ?  In 
such  meetings,  and  in  such  alone,  where  God  is  honored, 
adored,  acknowledged  as  all  in  all,  and  loved,  though  so 
imperfectly,  is  there  any  approach  to  the  perfect  happiness 
of  heaven.  And  if  the  communion  of  saints  here  on  earth, 
where  so  much  of  sin  mingles  with  our  best  service,  gives 
us  such  peaceful  joy  that  sometimes  we  can  almost  say, 
"  Now,  Lord,  lettest  thou  thy  servant  depart  in  peace," 
what  must  the  bliss  of  heaven  be  ?  What  is  it  to  meet 
there  with  all  the  ransomed  of  the  Lord,  in  the  immediate 
presence  of  Him  who  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  beholding  all 
its  glories,  and,  having  cast  our  crowns  at  his  feet  and  join- 
ing in  the  everlasting  anthem  of  "  Worthy  is  the  Lamb," 


99 


we  sit  down  to  go  no  more  out  forever,  telling  each  other 
of  the  loving-kindness  of  God,  as  manifested  to  our  once 
lost,  but  ransomed  souls  ?  Let  us,  then,  remembering  all 
the  happiness  of  this  day,  cultivate  more  and  more  the 
social  element  of  our  faith,  that  all  our  earthly  enjoyments 
may  be  increased,  while  we  look  away  in  joyful  anticipation 
and  hope  to  that  assembling  of  the  friends  of  Christ  that 
shall  continue  forever.  The  Gospel,  glad  tidings  of  great 
joy,  is  to  be  preached  to  all  nations  ;  because  it  tells  to  a 
sinful  world  of  happiness  in  Christ  Jesus,  who  came  to 
save  all  who  will  believe  in  him ;  and,  thanks  be  to  God !  it  is 
not  these  honored  ministers  alone  who  are  privileged  to  go 
forth  and  tell  the  joyful  message,  but  all  of  us,  every  one 
here  is  invited,  —  nay,  commanded,  to  go  into  all  the  world 
and  preach  the  Gospel,  and  this  in  order  that  every  one 
may  be  an  instrument  in  the  hand  of  God  in  leading  souls 
to  heaven.  Praising  him  for  the  promise,  "  Lo,  I  am  with 
you  always,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world,"  let  us  go 
forward,  earnestly  desiring  to  do  something  more  for  our 
Lord. 

But,  Mr.  President,  I  cannot  dwell  longer  upon  this 
theme,  pleasant  though  it  be.  I  have  now  a  duty  to  per- 
form, and  a  very  pleasant  one.  We  who  are  your  guests 
to-day  have  found  it  very  good  to  be  here.  We  have  had 
our  heart's  desire  of  enjoyment,  and  we  would  not  leave 
you  without  giving  our  tribute  of  thanks  to  those  who 
have  so  effectually  ministered  to  this  pleasure.  In  obedi- 
ence to  the  suggestion  of  others,  as'  well  as  to  the  dictate 
of  my  own  heart,  I  desire,  in  behalf  of  your  visitors,  to 
thank  the  members  of  this  Church  and  Society  most  heart- 
ily. For  the  open  door  of  your  dwellings,  the  cordial 
grasp  of  the  hand,  the  hearty  "  Glad  to  see  you !  "  and  the 
privileges  of  bowing  at  your  family  altars,  which  has  made 
us  feel  at  home  while  partaking  of  the  bountiful  hospitality 
of  your  homes,  we  thank  you.  We  cannot  in  words  thank 
the  dear  Pastor  of  this  flock  for  his  address  of  the  morn- 


100 


ing;  but,  often  as  we  think  of  that  acknowledgment  of  the 
mercies  of  God,  often  as  we  call  to  mind  that  Scripture, 
"  Hitherto  hath  the  Lord  helped  us,"  so  often  will  our 
hearts  thank  him  for  his  bright  and  patient  example  of 
faithful  labor  as  an  ambassador  for  Christ  in  the  minis- 
try of  the  Gospel.  To  those  who  with  their  melodious 
voices  led  us  in  the  service  of  song,  and  with  whom  we 
were  permitted  to  unite  in  praise,  making  melody  in  our 
hearts,  we  also  offer  our  thanks.  And,  not  only  to  these, 
for,  Mr.  President,  although  in  an  assemblage  of  this  kind, 
people  very  often  forget  their  obligation  to  those  who  have 
borne  the  burden  and  heat  of  the  day  of  preparation,  we 
cannot  forget  them,  for  a  large  share  of  our  enjoyment 
is  the  result  of  the  able,  judicious,  and  orderly  manner 
in  which  they  have  prepared  and  brought  before  us  the 
exercises  and  festivities  of  this  occasion.  Therefore,  to 
you,  Sir,  and  to  all  who  have  been  associated  with  you  in 
the  preliminary  arrangements,  so  various,  and  so  promptly 
and  happily  performed,  are  our  thanks  most  justly  due, 
and  we  heartily  offer  them. 

And  once  more.  To  the  ladies.  What  can  we  ever  do 
without  them  ?  From  the  hour  of  our  birth  to  that  of  our 
death,  we  are  continually  dependent  upon  their  kind  offices. 
I  was  most  happy  to  hear,  and  do  cordially  unite  in  all  that 
has  just  been  so  fitly  spoken  of  woman ;  and  let  me  add 
one  word  to  it.  No  man  with  an  honest  heart  ever  speaks 
lightly  or  sneeringly  of  woman.  To-day  the  handiwork  of 
the  ladies  has  been  most  clearly  seen,  being  discerned  by 
the  things  they  have  made,  and  for  the  generous  collation 
so  bountifully  provided,  so  tastefully  arranged  and  set  be- 
fore us,  the  product  and  the  proof  of  their  skill  and  energy, 
we  do  most  sincerely  offer  our  service  of  thanks. 

The  President  then  announced  as  the  last  senti- 
ment :  — 

Our  Reverend  Pastor :  In  the  true  succession  of  the 


101 


prophets,  forty  years  the  leader  of  God's  chosen  people. 
Far  distant  be  the  day  when  all  Israel  shall  be  gathered 
together  to  mourn  for  him. 

Rev.  A.  W.  Burnham,  D.JD.,  the  Pastor,  responded 
to  this  sentiment  in  the  following  words. 

ADDRESS    OF    REV.    A.    W.    BURNHAM,    D.  D. 

MR.  CHAIRMAN  :  —  I  supposed  that  I  had  fulfilled  my 
part  in  the  public  exercises  of  this  day,  but  I  am  now  in- 
formed that  the  proprieties  of  the  occasion  demand  some 
remarks  from  me. 

But,  in  the  circumstances,  I  can  only  express  my  hearty 
thanks,  first,  to  my  own  beloved  people,  for  their  appoint- 
ment of  this  public  observance  of  the  fortieth  anniversary 
of  my  ministry  among  them. 

Contrary  to  some  anxieties  that  were  felt,  the  effort  has 
been  perfectly  successful ;  and  I  knew  the  people  too  well 
to  allow  myself  to  entertain  any  apprehension  of  a  failure. 

I  appreciate  the  liberality,  the  admirable  order,  the  good 
taste,  so  manifest  in  the  general  arrangements,  and  the 
care  and  hard  work  to  which  the  committees  and  others 
have  necessarily  but  cheerfully  submitted  in  making  all  the 
provisions  for  the  day  and  the  evening. 

Next,  in  behalf  of  the  people  and  for  myself,  I  tender  to 
my  brethren  in  the  ministry,  and  to  other  visitors  from 
abroad,  our  grateful  acknowledgments  for  their  presence, 
and  the  essential  aid  they  have  rendered  to  the  interest  and 
enjoyments  of  this  delightful  occasion. 

But  I  must,  in  all  honesty,  disclaim  all  title  to  the  unex- 
pected commendations  expressed  in  my  behalf  by  my  breth- 
ren, and  others,  to  whose  remarks  we  have  listened  with  so 
much  satisfaction. 

While  I  am  encouraged  by  this  expression  of  their  ap- 
proval, yet  I  must  and  do,  here  and  now,  repeat  my 


102 


acknowledgment  of  entire  indebtedness  to  "  help  obtained 
of  God  "  ;  and  to  Him  alone  is  due  the  glory,  now  and 
forever.  Amen. 

The  exercises  of  the  evening  were  closed  by  the 
singing  of  America  by  the  audience,  and  the  Bene- 
diction by  the  Pastor. 


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